Birds have developed various strategies to survive super windy storms at the coast:
Sensing and Preparing
– Birds can detect approaching storms through changes in barometric pressure and wind patterns[2].
– Before a storm hits, many birds engage in intensive foraging to build up energy reserves[2].
Storm Survival Strategies
Seeking Shelter
– Smaller songbirds often seek shelter in dense vegetation inland, tree cavities, or even buildings to protect themselves from strong winds and rain[2].
– Some birds “hunker down” and wait for the storm to pass in protected areas[2].
Strategic Flying
– Certain seabirds, like streaked shearwaters, may fly directly into the eye of the storm where conditions are calmer[1].
– This counterintuitive behavior helps them avoid being pushed onto land by strong onshore winds[1].
– Some birds make long flights to circumnavigate the storm’s impact area[2].
Adapting to Wind Conditions
– Birds living in windier environments, like albatrosses, can fly faster than wind speeds to maintain control of their direction[3].
– Tropical seabirds, adapted to calmer conditions, may avoid flying in extreme winds that exceed their tolerance[3].
Riding the Currents
– Some birds may use storm headwinds to quickly evacuate the area[8].
Species-Specific Adaptations
– Albatrosses can withstand and fly in much stronger winds compared to tropical seabird species[3].
– Different species have varying wind speed tolerances based on their typical habitat conditions[3].
By employing these diverse strategies, coastal birds have evolved to cope with severe weather events. However, as storms intensify due to climate change, some species may face greater challenges in the future.
Read More
[1] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/to-survive-a-typhoon-some-seabirds-fly-straight-into-it-180980991/
[2] https://sccf.org/blog/2024/09/30/where-do-birds-go-during-hurricanes/
[3] https://www.mpg.de/19927332/seabirds-in-the-eye-of-the-storm
[4] https://www.perkypet.com/articles/how-birds-survive-devastating-storms-and-how-you-can-help-them
[5] https://www.earth.com/news/seabirds-have-different-strategies-to-survive-storms/
[6] https://www.sandiegobirdalliance.org/news-events/newsroom/overview.html/article/2023/08/18/how-birds-survive-storms-what-you-can-do-to-help-them
[7] https://marietta.wbu.com/hurricanes-and-humming-birds
[8] http://www.birdseyebirding.com/2018/06/22/eye-storm-birds-survive-hurricanes/