Feathers of Wandering Albatross Can Reveal Information About Their Long-distance Foraging

The feathers of seabirds such as the Wandering Albatross can provide clues about their long-distance foraging, according to CSIRO and the University of South Australia research, which could help protect these species from further decline.

Researchers discovered that the feathers of large seabirds (400g+) such as the Wandering Albatross (and other highly mobile seabirds) contained nutrients that did not solely match the availability of nutrients in the seawater at the collection site when they compared 15 element concentrations in the feathers of 253 Southern Hemisphere tube-nosed seabirds (representing 15 species).

Feathered 'fingerprints' reveal potential motivation for endangered birds

(Photo : GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images)

Smaller bird species that foraged more locally, on the other hand, had feathers with trace element concentrations tens to hundreds of times higher than larger bird species, clearly representing the ocean basins in which they were feeding, as per ScienceDaily.

Associate Professor S. 'Topa' Petit of the University of South Australia says feather profiles can help decipher the movements and habitats of open ocean seabirds.

"From the lab work led by Dr. Farzana Kastury, we discovered that small seabirds' feathers contained significant amounts of elements that matched their foraging environments, whereas large seabirds, regardless of which ocean their feathers were collected from, all showed similar trace elements, indicating they are feeding from a variety of different ocean basins," the researchers wrote. According to Associate Professor Petit

Small birds that spend a lot of time in specific areas feeding on planktonic crustaceans acquire specific elements from those areas. Larger birds, on the other hand, do not have the same element signature because they forage across multiple ocean basins.

Our feather research could explain why species like the Wandering Albatross, which breeds slowly and is difficult to study due to its open ocean habits, travel such long distances.

It emphasizes the importance of micronutrient availability and associated ocean processes in seabird conservation.

Dr. Lauren Roman of the CSIRO says that understanding the factors that influence the distribution of a threatened group of seabirds will help us better protect them in the future.

"It's fascinating to think that highly mobile marine animals may be traveling long distances to meet their mineral needs, on top of their energy needs," says Dr. Roman.

This also suggests that we should continue to protect biodiverse marine areas in order to ensure micronutrient availability for threatened bird species.

Climate change is one of the most serious threats to biodiverse marine areas, as it has the potential to disrupt nutrient cycles and distribution across the Southern Ocean.

Also Read: Researchers: Migrating Bird Prefer Routes with the Best Atmospheric Condition

The loss of habitats

The loss of habitat is one of the most serious consequences of climate change. Migratory birds' habitats are changing and disappearing as a result of rising temperatures, flooding, and desertification, as per WMBD.

One example is coastal wetland areas used by migrating birds for nesting and foraging. Birds rely on these areas for food and rest during their migration.

They can refuel and rest there before continuing on their long journeys.

Rising sea levels caused by climate change flood these habitats, causing them to be lost to birds and other animals.

Without these rest stops, the birds do not have enough reserves to continue and have difficulty completing their journeys.

The Sahel region, for example, is experiencing increasing desertification, which is causing habitat loss. Population growth necessitates the need for more land to grow crops and graze animals, as well as the intensification of land use.

This contributes to additional land degradation and the expansion of desert areas. Climate change exacerbates the problem by reducing rainfall in the Sahel region.

The desert is expanding as a result of the dryness. The crossing of the Sahara is one of the most difficult parts of the birds' journey because they cannot rest.

The expansion of the Sahara, combined with habitat destruction, is gradually making it nearly impossible for African-Eurasian migrants to successfully cross this ecological barrier.

Other habitats, including many breeding habitats, are also severely impacted, such as the Siberian tundra, where many goose species breed.

They breed and raise their young on the rocky bedrock of the tundra.

Climate change, on the other hand, is rapidly altering its vegetation structure: As temperatures rise, the permafrost soil thaws, allowing the forest to spread into the tundra.

This new green carpet completely alters the habitat and makes breeding impossible for the geese.

Experts predict that this forest expansion will result in a loss of 10 to 93% of the breeding habitat area of various arctic goose species.

Related article: Consequences of Climate Change: Arctic Migratory Birds To Lose Breeding Habitat by 2070