I just read about some sea birds that become stranded if they end up on land. Evidently they are such specialized swimmers that they can't take off because their feet are so far back on their body that they can't stand up. Who would have ever guessed. Here is the article
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High winds strand seabirds along Nova Scotia's coast
(Note: this picture was submitted for the article)
Dovekies are divers, and like the loon and other true water birds cannot walk on land.
Outdoor Notebook
Small seabirds the size of starlings were
storm-driven by the hundreds, perhaps thousands, onto Nova Scotia's
shoreline two weekends ago, turning Seaforth's Hope for Wildlife into
both a rescue and information center for them. While exact numbers are
not known, dovekies or little auks have in the past been stranded by
high winds along the Atlantic coast in the tens of thousands.
Hope for Wildlife says that over the two days
Jan. 20 to Jan. 21 they received 58 calls from people who found trapped
birds. Calls came in from the South Shore to Cape Breton and places in
between. In addition, about 40 birds were brought in directly for care.
Dovekies are divers, and like the loon and other
true water birds cannot walk on land. Their feet have evolved far back
on their bodies for maximum underwater propulsion at the cost of the
ability to stand. Once driven onto land, they cannot take off again.
Known to many fishermen as bull birds for their
stocky shape, dovekies live most of their lives on the open ocean and
are much better swimmers than fliers. The only time they usually push
themselves ashore is to nest in Greenland or on the Arctic islands. Each
autumn they move south to winter on the Scotian Shelf off Newfoundland
and Nova Scotia.
According to Hope for Wildlife director Hope
Swinimer, people panic when they see dovekies flopping around in seaside
rocks or bushes.
"Most people don't know they can't take off from
land. They just need a little help getting back to the ocean. They're
trapped until they get help back to the water," she explained.
Because they are out of their element on land, they are easy victims for both winged and four-footed predators.
"A couple of the calls to us reported they were
being attacked by crows," Swinimer said, "and people were rescuing birds
while other animals were moving in on them."
Most of those rescued had nothing physically
wrong with them, although people assumed they did because they couldn't
fly. Only one of the birds received at the rehab farm died.
"People just don't know what they are but even
over the phone I could deal with a lot of the issues. What I get people
to check first is hydration. You can usually tell that by looking at
their eyes. Then I always get them to make sure both wings are working,
which they can do by putting them in their palm and dropping the hand
down. The wings will come out and flap. Rather than getting them to
bring them to me, it makes better sense for me to tell them to put them
right back out into the ocean," Swinimer said.
Changing climate is said to be affecting the
dovekie population. Local fishermen have told Swinimer they often saw
dovekies when the winters were colder.
"I've heard stories from the old timers, even
here in Seaforth. They say that they used to come in on the ice flows
and there would be thousands of them, right here where I live," said
Swinimer.
Ray MacLeod is a freelance outdoors writer. He lives in Waverley.
I wanted to copy the article because I am not sure how long the link will remain valid:
http://www.halifaxnewsnet.ca/Arts-Living/2013-01-30/article-3166991/High-winds-strand-seabirds-along-Nova-Scotias-coast/1
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Susan Aglukark , the Northern Lights and Amazing Grace. Awesome , check it out:
Amazing Grace by Susan Aglukark
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