I stumbled upon this article about Crested Auklets by chance, it seems they have some unusual traits not seen in other birds. I don't know how many other birders there are on Tildes but I found...
I stumbled upon this article about Crested Auklets by chance, it seems they have some unusual traits not seen in other birds. I don't know how many other birders there are on Tildes but I found the article interesting and amusing enough to share.
Fascinating to read, thanks for sharing. Do the birds literally spend months at a time on the ocean? The article suggests that near the end but that seems hard to believe. I can imagine finding...
Fascinating to read, thanks for sharing. Do the birds literally spend months at a time on the ocean? The article suggests that near the end but that seems hard to believe. I can imagine finding food there, but what about fresh water, and sleeping safely? What happens during storms? Amazing to imagine and very interesting.
You're welcome, glad you enjoyed the article! I'm not specifically familiar with the species in the article but pelagic seabirds in general spend most of their time out in the open ocean and the...
You're welcome, glad you enjoyed the article! I'm not specifically familiar with the species in the article but pelagic seabirds in general spend most of their time out in the open ocean and the only time most people get to see them is during breeding season when they come to shore. Most of these birds have a special gland that removes salt from seawater and use air currents to stay aloft for long periods of time. Some species spend years out at sea like the wandering albatross only coming to land to breed. Some birds stay out at sea in the air without touching down for a couple of months like the frigate. And if you think that's extreme, think of the common swift (not a seabird) which spends almost an entire year in the air without landing until it's time to nest. They eat, drink, sleep and even mate in the air! It's not entirely clear how birds that stay aloft for months at a time manage to sleep in the air - it appears some are able to switch off one hemisphere of their brain off at a time, others believe they sleep in very short bursts when they find a stable air current or thermal.
Birds, like all animals, are truly amazing and once you start going down that rabbit hole it might be a while before you can get out!
Which birds do you mean? Most pelagic seabirds sleep on the water, but for those (pelagic or otherwise) that stay in the air for weeks or months at a time without landing, they rely on other...
Which birds do you mean? Most pelagic seabirds sleep on the water, but for those (pelagic or otherwise) that stay in the air for weeks or months at a time without landing, they rely on other approaches.
Your second link, about the Wandering Albatross, contains this text: That sounds much more reasonable to me than staying awake for months on end. I would need some extraordinary evidence to...
Your second link, about the Wandering Albatross, contains this text:
The bird appears to follow the ships both day and night giving rise to the notion that albatrosses are able to sleep on the wing. However, that notion is widely considered to be false. Instead, when the bird needs to rest, it simply lands on the water’s surface, curls up and goes to sleep. Yes, Peter, the albatross lands on the water, on purpose. After it has a bit of a snooze, the bird wakes up and is airborne in no time.
That sounds much more reasonable to me than staying awake for months on end. I would need some extraordinary evidence to believe that claim.
Ah I think you misunderstand what I wrote about the wandering albatross or the comment is not fully coear. They live out in the ocean for years but it doesn't mean they're flying the entire time....
Ah I think you misunderstand what I wrote about the wandering albatross or the comment is not fully coear. They live out in the ocean for years but it doesn't mean they're flying the entire time. The frigate and common swift which I mentioned later in the post have been observed doing this however.
I stumbled upon this article about Crested Auklets by chance, it seems they have some unusual traits not seen in other birds. I don't know how many other birders there are on Tildes but I found the article interesting and amusing enough to share.
Fascinating to read, thanks for sharing. Do the birds literally spend months at a time on the ocean? The article suggests that near the end but that seems hard to believe. I can imagine finding food there, but what about fresh water, and sleeping safely? What happens during storms? Amazing to imagine and very interesting.
You're welcome, glad you enjoyed the article! I'm not specifically familiar with the species in the article but pelagic seabirds in general spend most of their time out in the open ocean and the only time most people get to see them is during breeding season when they come to shore. Most of these birds have a special gland that removes salt from seawater and use air currents to stay aloft for long periods of time. Some species spend years out at sea like the wandering albatross only coming to land to breed. Some birds stay out at sea in the air without touching down for a couple of months like the frigate. And if you think that's extreme, think of the common swift (not a seabird) which spends almost an entire year in the air without landing until it's time to nest. They eat, drink, sleep and even mate in the air! It's not entirely clear how birds that stay aloft for months at a time manage to sleep in the air - it appears some are able to switch off one hemisphere of their brain off at a time, others believe they sleep in very short bursts when they find a stable air current or thermal.
Birds, like all animals, are truly amazing and once you start going down that rabbit hole it might be a while before you can get out!
It says in your link that they sleep on the water.
Which birds do you mean? Most pelagic seabirds sleep on the water, but for those (pelagic or otherwise) that stay in the air for weeks or months at a time without landing, they rely on other approaches.
Your second link, about the Wandering Albatross, contains this text:
That sounds much more reasonable to me than staying awake for months on end. I would need some extraordinary evidence to believe that claim.
Ah I think you misunderstand what I wrote about the wandering albatross or the comment is not fully coear. They live out in the ocean for years but it doesn't mean they're flying the entire time. The frigate and common swift which I mentioned later in the post have been observed doing this however.
I love dopey little birds. I say that with love. Them and their stupid little front pony tails. They're great.
Then here are some gifts for you - photos of potoos, the dopiest of birds: 1, 2, 3
I love POTOOS