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https://theconversation.com/we-tracked-the-tasmanian-boobook-as-it-flew-a-remarkable-250-kilometres-non-stop-across-bass-strait-246135>
"Every year, tens of thousands of land birds make a long flight across Bass
Strait – the stretch of water separating Tasmania from continental Australia.
Well known for its high winds and rough seas, crossing Bass Strait is no small
feat for these migrant land birds. Migration is stressful for birds, as they
encounter inhospitable environments, predators, and weather changes while
expending peak energy.
But how exactly do these birds traverse this daunting stretch of ocean?
Understanding this is more crucial than ever. New developments proposed in Bass
Strait, particularly offshore wind farms, may introduce challenges for
migrating birds. And until now, no one has looked closely at the movement
pathways of these little migrants.
Our new research tracked the migration paths of Tasmanian boobooks, Ninox
leucopsis, as they crossed from Victoria to Tasmania.
We found the Tasmanian boobook was indeed a regular migrant across Bass Strait
– making it Australia’s only migratory owl. Rather than island-hopping, these
small owls completed the roughly 250 kilometre flight across the strait in a
single night, in one continuous flight.
These insights may help us protect birds in a rapidly changing world."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
