Image: Gaby Maldonado

Myth: Birds usually don't survive big storms
 

Birds are sometimes blown astray, but many apparently have a coping strategy. Hurricane Katrina destroyed the habitat of breeding colonies in Louisiana's Pearl River Basin, for instance, but bird numbers held steady, researchers noted in the journal Forest Ecology and Management. Some birds are especially adept: Scientists at the College of William & Mary Center for Conservation Biology tracked a migratory shorebird, a whimbrel, as it flew through Hurricane Irene in 2011. —Marissa Fessenden

8 Comments

1. 1. hanmeng 04:11 PM 11/9/12

   7. Readers love to click multiple times to read a single article.

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2. 2. Georgevv 12:31 AM 11/10/12

   re: effect of "spring" tides on storm surges. The author states the effect probably would be only a few centimeters. I have observed several spring tides along the central NJ shore and the effect is more like 1 - 2 feet higher than on a week before or after a spring tide. The low tides during spring tides times are extreme also with large areas of wet sand being exposed that is normally covered other times. Another effect on storm surges that I have never seen mentioned is low barometric pressure. Think of "sucking" water up a straw. A drop in pressure of 10% would cause a rise of nearly a meter even if there were no other factors involved!

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3. 3. northernguy in reply to Georgevv 12:34 AM 11/11/12

   
   2. Georgevv...
   
   Thank you for your comment. I thought maybe things are different on the east coast.
   
   Here on the west coast spring tides have significantly greater swings in water movement. The difference can easily be seen by anyone who pays attention. A difference of a couple of inches wouldn't even be noticeable.

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4. 4. Danm1701 in reply to hanmeng 05:40 PM 11/11/12

   I do. I wish I could click every other word. It's so informative and entertaining.

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5. 5. m allworth 11:03 AM 11/12/12

   Is Cumbre Veijo still being monitered?
   
   Let us hope that the volcano holds secure.
   
   Best wishes,
   
   
   Marg.

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6. 6. Christine Gorman 12:02 PM 11/16/12

   hanmeng: Just hit the print button and you'll see the whole article. No extra clicking necessary.

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7. 7. N49th 09:56 PM 11/17/12

   Children were lost, White, black, red and brown.
   Can't bring them back.
   All I know is they are playing for Jesus's soccer team.

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8. 8. N49th 10:02 PM 11/17/12

   i do know where the United States Navy is off shore.
   Might want to shut up.

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