Flying Into Typhoons Helps Some Seabirds Survive The Storm
Because flying into typhoons helps some seabirds survive the storm, some seabirds do not simply make it through the storm; they actually feel it. According to a study that was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on October 11, streaked shearwaters that nest on islands off the coast of Japan sometimes make their way directly toward oncoming typhoons, where they remain in the vicinity of the eye of the storm for extended periods of time.
Author:Suleman ShahReviewer:Han JuOct 18, 202223 Shares1K Views
Because flying into typhoons helps some seabirds survive the storm, some seabirds do not simply make it through the storm; they actually feel it.
According to a study that was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on October 11, streaked shearwaters that nest on islands off the coast of Japan sometimes make their way directly toward oncoming typhoons, where they remain in the vicinity of the eye of the storm for extended periods of time. It's possible that this peculiar habit, which hasn't been observed in any other species of birds, assists streaking shearwaters (Calonectris leucomelas) in weathering violent storms.
Birds and other animals that live in regions that are prone to hurricanes and typhoons have developed coping mechanisms to survive the onslaught of these potentially lethal storms. In recent years, a few studies that utilized GPS trackers indicated that certain ocean-dwelling birds, such as the frigatebird (Fregata minor), will take huge detours to avoid cyclones.
According to Emily Shepard, a behavior ecologist at Swansea University in Wales, this is a tactic that is sensible for birds who spend the most of their time at sea, where "there is simply nowhere to hide," as she put it. She and her colleagues utilized 11 years' worth of tracking data from GPS locators that were placed to the wings of 75 birds that nested on Awashima Island in Japan. This allowed them to determine whether or not shearwaters also avoid storms.
The researchers found that shearwaters that were stuck out in the open ocean when a storm swept in would ride tailwinds around the borders of the storm. This was determined by integrating this information with data on the wind speeds that were experienced during typhoons. On the other hand, some birds, when they found themselves trapped between the land and the eye of a powerful hurricane, would occasionally deviate from their typical flight paths in order to make their way toward the center of the storm.
Thirteen of the seventy-five shearwaters that were being watched came within 60 kilometers of the eye, also known as the "eye socket," where the winds were the greatest, and stayed there for up to eight hours as the cyclone moved northward. Shepard explains that it was one of those times when they couldn't believe what they were seeing. "It was one of those moments," We had a few hypotheses about how they may act, but this particular scenario was not one of them.
Shearwaters were more likely to head into the eye of the storm during more intense storms, where gusts might reach up to 48 miles per hour (75 kilometers per hour). According to Shepard, this indicates that the birds may be following the eye in order to prevent themselves from being driven inland, where they would run the risk of colliding with the ground or being struck by flying debris.
Conclusion
Ornithologist Andrew Farnsworth of Cornell University, who was not involved in the study, says that flying with the winds could be a common tactic for conserving energy during cyclones, despite the fact that this behavior has never been observed in any bird species before.
He says that:
“„It could appear to go against common sense, however, when viewed from the point of view of avian behavior, it makes a great deal of sense.- Andrew Farnsworth, Ornithologist of Cornell University
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Suleman Shah
Author
Suleman Shah is a researcher and freelance writer. As a researcher, he has worked with MNS University of Agriculture, Multan (Pakistan) and Texas A & M University (USA). He regularly writes science articles and blogs for science news website immersse.com and open access publishers OA Publishing London and Scientific Times. He loves to keep himself updated on scientific developments and convert these developments into everyday language to update the readers about the developments in the scientific era. His primary research focus is Plant sciences, and he contributed to this field by publishing his research in scientific journals and presenting his work at many Conferences.
Shah graduated from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (Pakistan) and started his professional carrier with Jaffer Agro Services and later with the Agriculture Department of the Government of Pakistan. His research interest compelled and attracted him to proceed with his carrier in Plant sciences research. So, he started his Ph.D. in Soil Science at MNS University of Agriculture Multan (Pakistan). Later, he started working as a visiting scholar with Texas A&M University (USA).
Shah’s experience with big Open Excess publishers like Springers, Frontiers, MDPI, etc., testified to his belief in Open Access as a barrier-removing mechanism between researchers and the readers of their research. Shah believes that Open Access is revolutionizing the publication process and benefitting research in all fields.
Han Ju
Reviewer
Hello! I'm Han Ju, the heart behind World Wide Journals. My life is a unique tapestry woven from the threads of news, spirituality, and science, enriched by melodies from my guitar. Raised amidst tales of the ancient and the arcane, I developed a keen eye for the stories that truly matter. Through my work, I seek to bridge the seen with the unseen, marrying the rigor of science with the depth of spirituality.
Each article at World Wide Journals is a piece of this ongoing quest, blending analysis with personal reflection. Whether exploring quantum frontiers or strumming chords under the stars, my aim is to inspire and provoke thought, inviting you into a world where every discovery is a note in the grand symphony of existence.
Welcome aboard this journey of insight and exploration, where curiosity leads and music guides.
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