A method for identifying noise sources for automation devices (1, 2) which have a multiplicity of input/output modules (2a, 2b, . . . 2n) which are coupled to one another by means of a data bus (3, 5) and at least one of which is set up as a radio input/output module (6) for radio data communication, wherein the at least one radio input/output module (6) repeatedly checks the availability of transmission channels for radio data transmission on a continual basis and stores the availability of a sequence of transmission channels in a channel list (CL), has the following steps: the availability of channels which is currently stored in the channel lists (CL) of the at least one radio input/output module (6) being read, the availability of the sequence of channels being compared with a number of noise source channel patterns (CP) which are stored for a number of different noise sources, and a noise source being identified if the channel pattern (CL) defined by the availability of the sequence of channels has a prescribed minimum similarity with one of the stored noise source channel patterns (CP).