nartreb
Speak softly and carry a long lens
Interesting new publication of results from a light-level geolocator study in Tennessee. The authors speculate that the birds perceived the approach of the storms via infrasound.
Write-up:
http://phys.org/news/2014-12-distant-tornadoes-birds-flew-coop.html
Article (abstract; main text behind paywall):
http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(14)01428-6
"Streby et al. show that migrant songbirds evacuated their breeding territories and circumvented a severe tornado outbreak. Thus, obligate migrant birds can make facultative migrations outside the regular migration period. Birds evacuated long before the storm, suggesting infrasound produced by the storm cued the behavior."
Write-up:
http://phys.org/news/2014-12-distant-tornadoes-birds-flew-coop.html
Article (abstract; main text behind paywall):
http://www.cell.com/current-biology/abstract/S0960-9822(14)01428-6
"Streby et al. show that migrant songbirds evacuated their breeding territories and circumvented a severe tornado outbreak. Thus, obligate migrant birds can make facultative migrations outside the regular migration period. Birds evacuated long before the storm, suggesting infrasound produced by the storm cued the behavior."