Calonectris leucomelas
They always do so during the flight: it is a hygiene strategy. Scientists now want to investigate the seagull reliefs.
Last Monday, a study published in Current Biology magazine revealed an unusual behavior of pacifier (Calonetris leucomelas): The sea bird defecates, on average, five times per hour, with intervals of four to ten minutes. Almost always during the flight.
The discovery was made by researchers at the University of Tokyo, who installed small cameras at the bottom of 15 birds of a colony on Funakoshi Ohshima Island in Japan. Over 36 hours of filming, 195 episodes of excretion were recorded.
Surprisingly, almost all episodes of defecation occurred while the birds were in the air, with only one exception, on the surface of the sea, probably by accident.
Behavior suggests that cagarras Avoid defecating while they are inns in the waterEven if this implies spending some energy to get a flight just to relieve themselves.
The option to defecate on flight can be a hygiene strategyas it avoids dirty and reduces the risk of attracting predators by concentrating waste. In addition, posture during flight can facilitate the abdominal pressure required for excretion, the researchers believe.
Environmental impact and nutrient circulation
Although it seems only a curiosity, the habit has relevant implications for the environment. Just as whales redistribute nutrients in the ocean through feces, sea birds can play an important role in the circulation of vital elements such as phosphorus and nitrogen.
I estimate that Each shit eliminate up to 5% of its body mass per hour– the equivalent of a human to lose about four kilos of excrement per hour, while driving nonstop – which can influence both aerodynamics of the bird and marine fertilization in areas of large concentration of individuals.
Another point of attention is the possibility of dissemination of pathogens, including the virus of poultry flu. As many of these birds fly over regions where others are inns, part of the waste can fall directly over individuals on the surface, facilitating transmission.
Scientists now intend to investigate whether the standard identified in this marine species also occurs in others, such as seagullsin order to better understand the ecological and epidemiological impact of this behavior still little studied.
