Birds

_{-- B i r d s --} _{click on the question number for the answer}
Q 1.
	How does one distinguish the sexes of the Florida pelicans?
Q 2.
	How did the name "penguin" originate?
Q 3.
	What is the smallest ocean bird?
Q 4.
	Do pelicans drink salt water?
Q 5.
	Is it possible that I have seen an ibis near my summer home in south Canada? How many local kinds of ibis are there?
Q 6.
	Will Sea Secrets kindly answer some queries concerning water birds? I should like to know how to identify the voice of snowy egrets and in what location their nests may be found. Also, a description of their nests and of their eggs.
Q 7.
	What is the dovekie?
Q 8.
	What is the black skimmer?
Q 9.
	What sea bird migrates the longest distance?
Q 10.
	Royal terns and other birds are sometimes found along the beaches in an injured condition, although they do not appear to have been shot. Is there any explanation for this?
Q 11.
	Is it true that the bald eagle subsists mainly upon fish?
Q 12.
	I have heard that great flocks of song birds (warblers) have been sighted in the open seas and are sometimes seen to fall dead upon the decks of vessels. What is the explanation for this strange occurrence?
Q 13.
	How does a pelican use its pouch in feeding?
Q 14.
	What do pelicans feed on other than fish? Where are they in the summer months when I don't see them in Miami or Miami Beach?
Q 15.
	How can you identify the voice of snowy egrets and in what location are their nests found? Also, what do the nests and eggs of the egret look like?
Q 16.
	What method can be employed to keep seagulls away from places where they are a nuisance?
Q 17.
	Can the sexes of the brown pelican of Florida be distinguished by its feathers? Is it a migratory bird?
Q 18.
	While I was on the beach between Hallandale and Hollywood, Florida, about 75 feet from shore, I saw something sticking up about a foot out of the water that I at first thought was the head of a duck or small pelican, but, there was no body of any kind. As I watched, it was motionless for about 5 or 10 seconds then disappeared in the water like a duck would dive and it did not reappear! Could you please tell me what this could be?
Q 19.
	Is it possible to train animals to catch fish for humans?
Q 20.
	How many pounds of fish do you think a pelican might consume in one year?
Q 21.
	There appears to be a war on between swarms of seagulls and various maritime equipment of considerable value here in the Canal Zone. What we earnestly would like to know is this: Does the seagull species generally have any winged, or other, enemy or enemies that prey upon it, or is feared by it...like birds of prey or whatnot?
Q 22.
	How far from land do seagulls fly?
Q 23.
	When and how did the sea gulls first learn to take clams into the air and drop them on stones to break their shells so their meat would be available?
Q 24.
	Do sea birds, such as gulls and sand pipers, drink sea water?
Q 25.
	Recently we found a sandpiper on the dunes of Long Beach Island, New Jersey, with its legs and wings apparently paralyzed. The little bird could barely move its head. Could this have been the result of intensive mosquito spraying or is there some disease that afflicts birds in this manner?
Q 26.
	While watching penguins at the Coney Island Aquarium, I was struck by an apparent contradiction. On the one hand they swim on the surface almost like ducks, with half to one-third of their bodies above the surface. On the other hand, they dive with apparent ease. How does a bird which is so apparently buoyant manage to dive so well?
Q 27.
	Recently I observed a straight line flight of what appeared to be geese or swans moving northward just above the water along our beach. There were fifteen birds in the flock and the leader was black. A few minutes later a smaller flight came along and at least one of these birds was also black. Could you identify these birds?
Q 28.
	While on an ocean cruise we saw many tiny birds fluttering around just above the surface. A seaman told me they are called petrels. What is a petrel? Where did the name come from?
Q 29.
	In Sarasota Bay there are two common pelicans. One has a brown head, brown back and white breast; the other has a whitish or yellowish head, brown back and dark brown breast. Are these male and female of the same species? Do the young have brown eyes that later turn light bluish or gray?
Q 30.
	I have seen birds hundreds of miles at sea in the path of an approaching hurricane. Are such birds killed by the terrific winds, or do they somehow survive?
Q 31.
	We have seen white pelicans down here on the Keys many times, and would like to know whether these are a different species from the common brown pelican. If so, where do they spend the summer? Where do they nest?
Q 32.
	My question concerns some small canary-like birds that I have encountered from 20 to 50 miles off the coast of Virginia. They are orange to yellow in color and measure about 4 inches from head to tail. Their most distinguishing characteristic is their very spindly legs and feet, which look as if they can barely support the weight of the bird. They seem completely tame, and will perch on your head or beside you on the boat or let you pick them up. They will accept no food, but are able to catch a fly in flight. If you can identify this bird from my description, I would appreciate hearing about its habits and habitat. For example, where do they sleep at night?
Q 33.
	I have lived here in the Sea of Cortez, on a small boat, for almost eight years. Needless to say, I have watched the brown pelicans in the area for days on end, but I have never heard one make a sound. The cormorant is similar in its silence. Could you tell me if the pelicans or cormorants actually I: do vocalize, and if so, how many different signals these sounds communicate.
Q 34.
	On a recent fishing trip to Cape Hatteras we went out about 30 to 40 miles to fish for dolphin in the Gulf Stream. We found the weed line and the fish, but were attacked by hundreds of brown birds about the size of harbor gulls. These birds would grab our lures and bait and take them up into the air. They would dive to 15 to 20 feet to bring our bait to the surface; in the process, we caught about 20 birds, all of whom seemed very hungry. They had brown backs, black necks and heads with small white patches to either side, and cream-colored breasts. Can you tell me the name of this bird and something about it?
Q 35.
	Do black-footed albatrosses dive for food? I have seen them land on the water and pick up food, but have never observed them diving. A sea captain I know, however, tells me that they sometimes dive and swim under water like pelicans. Is this true?
Q 36.
	How do sea and beach birds keep their feet warm in winter? I see them walking around on the ice in subzero temperatures. I suppose their feet and legs don't get brittle because their temperature remains above the freezing point of the blood, but still there has to be some point at which this fluid enters the body for renewal. In a winter gale the energy required to warm this blood sufficiently to avoid chilling the bird's vitals must be enormous. I don't see how they could produce it at all, much less during the food shortages of winter. I imagine that their legs must be maintained at pretty close to air temperature, but if so, why don't they become inoperative?
Q 37.
	I have been told that the life span of the pelican is shortened by the repeated concussion of its head on the surface of the water as it plummets to catch fish. This could conceivably cause multiple minute cerebral hemorrhage which, on a cumulative basis, would put it into the same category as a punch- drunk prizefighter and unable to take care of itself. True or false?
Q 38.
	What conditions caused the development of the flightless cormorant of the Galapagos Islands, and why are there no flying cormorants on these islands today? Also, do the cormorants in Florida today actually have offspring of a flightless condition that do not survive because of their helplessness in a hostile environment?
Q 39.
	On a recent fishing trip about 15 miles out of Destin, Florida, a small bird flew aboard and landed on my chair arm. I held my hand close, and it hopped onto it, up my arm, and stayed on my shoulder for a minute or two. It was a small brownish bird, shorter than a sparrow, and about the shape of a wren but slightly larger. Do you have any idea as to what kind of bird it was, or where it came from?
Q 40.
	Can you tell me why the petrels that I see when fishing offshore are known as "Mother Carey's Chickens"?
Q 41.
	When pelicans dive for fishes, do they hold their bill closed and stun their prey, or do they open their bill and engulf it? If the latter is the answer, why do gulls stay around pelicans-surely they cannot expect to rob a fish out of a pelican's bill?
Q 42.
	On several occasions, I have seen what appear to be sea gulls flying over Denver, Colorado. If they are sea gulls, why are they so far from salt-water?
Q 43.
	Why do pelicans and cormorants seem to vibrate their throats?
Q 44.
	I have been told that the brilliance of the sun on the water in the Caribbean can blind pelicans so that they are unable to capture food and starve. Is this true?
Q 45.
	Why is there a complete absence of sea gulls in Hawaii? The ocean is warm, the fishes are there, so where are the gulls?
Q 46.
	Is it possible for pelicans to have cataracts in their eyes?
Q 47.
	Is the population of ospreys in the United States recovering after it was seriously affected by man's use of DDT?
Q 48.
	During the spring rains, the eggs of swans that inhabited a nearby inlet were frequently covered by water especially during tidal changes. Could any or all of these eggs have survived being underwater even if it was only one to two hours at a time?
Q 49.
	How should one assist exhausted birds that land on a ship at sea?
Q 50.
	Have recent severe winters along the mid-Atlantic coast had any effects on the areas salt-marsh animals?
Q 51.
	Where can I purchase two flamingos? Also, can you provide information on how to care for these birds?
Q 52.
	In a recent television documentary, it was stated that penguin chicks are cold-blooded for a period of time before they become warm-blooded. Is this true?
Q 53.
	While swimming along a shark net in a cove on the Pacific side of Panama, I watched a pelican land on the water next to a swimmer who was some 20 yards away from me and grab the man's ankle firmly in its beak. After letting go, the bird continued to peck at the swimmer and was completely undaunted by attempts to chase it away. I swam toward the melee, and the pelican then devoted its attention to me. Still in the water, it came after my feet, pecking at them but never actually touching them. In the thrashing around, one of my flippers came off. Immediately, the bird grabbed it and held it well up out of the water for about 30 seconds before dropping it. As I swam away after retrieving the flipper, the persistent pelican kept right after me, pecking at my flippers but never making contact. After I had gone about 30 yards, my pursuer gave up on me, took to the air; and proceeded to dive-bomb two other swimmers. I have been swimming in this location for 20 years among pelicans, and this was an absolute first. Why did this pelican act so belligerently?
Q 54.
	How long do sea gulls live?
Q 55.
	The May-June 1982 Sea Secrets included an interesting story about a pelican that persistently pecked at swimmers in Panama. Suggested reasons for the pelican's behavior were requested. Were any received?
Q 56.
	In the May-June Sea Secrets, it was stated that 17 million sea birds were missing from Christmas Island because of El Nino-caused changes in Pacific Ocean conditions. Have the birds returned?
Q 57.
	Why does the brown pelican, after diving for fish, come to the surface facing the opposite direction from the way it entered the water?
Q 58.
	During winter in Skagit County, there is considerable rainfall, and shallow ponds often form on farmland. I have observed great blue herons standing in these temporary ponds and even in fields with no standing water. I assume that the birds are feeding, but what food is' available to them?
Q 59.
	In the March-April Sea Frontiers' article about sea birds of Britain, it says that puffins and shearwaters may share the entrance to their burrows with rabbits. Does this shared-nest phenomenon occur only in northern Britain, or does it occur elsewhere as well? Also, what species of rabbit is involved?
Q 60.
	In observing sea birds, I have not seen any direct contact between the males and females. Where and how do sea birds copulate?
Q 61.
	Our parrots and mynahs seem to do better when they are fed kelp, in addition to their regular feed. Other than iodine, what is the nutritional value of kelp?
Q 62.
	When I watch frigate birds in St. Croix, US. Virgin Islands, I occasionally see them steal food from each other's mouths, but I have never seen them dive for fish. How else do they obtain food?
Q 63.
	In the Florida Keys, north of jewfish Creek, there are many nests built high on utility poles along highway US. 1. Which bird species builds these large, high nests?
Q 64.
	What do sanderlings and ruddy turnstones find for food in the sand in the surf zone? Also, does the bill of a bird constantly grow in order to replace the part worn down byfeeding?
Q 65.
	In the course of sailing among the Bahamian out islands, we rarely see any pelicans. Is there some fundamental reason why these birds are not seen there?
Q 66.
	On Marco Island, Florida, the sea gulls appear on the beach at the end of November, stay for the winter, and then seem to disappear in April. Where do they go for the summer?
Q 67.
	Are penguins capable of flight?
Q 68.
	I believe there is a refuge for great white herons in South Florida. If I am right, where is the refuge and how big is it?
Q 69.
	How do polar bears and marine mammals obtain fresh water to drink? Also, do penguins drink salt water or fresh water?
Q 70.
	What accounts for the pink color of flamingos?
Q 71.
	I recently visited Phillip Island off Melbourne, Australia and saw the delightful fairy penguins. Can you tell me if they are related in any way to the penguins of the Galapagos Islands?
Q 72.
	I was momentarily startled when I saw the cover of the September-October 1989 Sea Frontiers. I was not aware that the snow and ice in Antarctica recedes to the extent shown in the photograph nor that penguin rookeries are that densely populated. How much of Antarctica is covered with ice? Also, are most penguin rookeries densely populated?
Q 73.
	Does a pelican store food in its pouch? Also, does it use the pouch to transport food to its babies?
Q 74.
	Can a penguin be kept as a pet? If so, what kind of special care would the bird require?
Q 75.
	I enjoyed the April 1992 Sea Frontiers article about the reintroduction of seabirds. I am puzzled, however, by the puffin's ability to carry so many fish in its bill at one time, as shown on page 12. How is it done?
Q 76.
	Do penguin chicks just stand in their creches waiting to be fed or do they play?


_{-- a n s w e r s a b o u t B i r d s --}
	Q&A 1.	How does one distinguish the sexes of the Florida pelicans? Middlesex, England
	Unfortunately, there is no east method by which the sexes of these birds may be told from one another, so alike are their plumage and other physical characteristics. This applies both to the common brown pelican, Pelicanus occidenbalis carikunensis, and the rarer white pelican, P. erythrorhynus, both of which occur on the Florida coast. The latter bird is noted for the peculiar triangular ridge which develops on the upper surface of the bill of both sexes during the breeding season.
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	Q&A 2.	How did the name "penguin" originate?
	This name was originally given to the great auk or garefowl of the North Atlantic and Arctic regions, and then also applied to the flightless sea birds of the Antarctic, though incorrectly at the time. Through extensive hunting for its flesh, skin, and oil, the great auk was made extinct in 1844 and the name "penguin" is now properly applied to the Antarctic birds of the Families Spheniscidae and Aptenodytidae.
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	Q&A 3.	What is the smallest ocean bird?
	This is the least petrel, Halocyptena microsoma, also called "Mother Carey's chicken," which is about the size of a small swallow or starling. Petrels in general have small bodies, short wings, and rather long but weak legs with small webbed feet. They characteristically cross the water surface in zigzag fashion behind a moving ship, picking up small food particles in the wake. Petrels nest in large numbers on certain islands, where they excavate burrows in the soft sand or utilize natural rock crevices. Only a single egg is laid at a time.
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	Q&A 4.	Do pelicans drink salt water? St. Petersburg, Florida
	The subject of whether pelicans (and other sea birds) drink salt water has for some time been a matter of speculation among ornithologists ("bird scientists"). It is generally agreed that they do not, save for the small amount inevitably swallowed along with the food. On the other hand, there is no evidence that sea birds make long flights to any point solely for the purpose of obtaining fresh water. It then appears from the evidence at hand that sea birds in general obtain their water supply from the flesh of fishes and other marine food. The greater shearwater, for instance, spends at least seven or eight months of the year in the South Atlantic without making a land- fall, and great blue herons are known to breed on barren islands in Great Salt Lake, where the water is considerably more salty than that found in the sea. Although the young do not leave these islands until they are nearly full grown, from investigations made there it has been shown conclusively that the adults do not bring them fresh water. Sea birds such as pelicans will drink fresh water when this available; otherwise they appear to manage without it.
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	Q&A 5.	Is it possible that I have seen an ibis near my summer home in south Canada? How many local kinds of ibis are there? Sarasota, Florida
	The glossy ibis, (Plegadis falcinellas) wanders from time to time as far north as Canada, as well as westward to Colorado, and has been known to breed in North and South Carolina. Its more normal range includes Florida, Mexico, Cuba, and Hispaniola. The wood ibis, (Mycteria Americana) (a true stork) sometimes breeds in South Carolina and ranges southward to Peru, and the white ibis, (Guara alba) are common Florida birds. The most spectacular of the ibises is the scarlet ibis, (Guare rubra) which is now found only in South America, with accidental range extension to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico and the West Indies. Recent restoration of colonies of water birds, including ibises, in Tampa Bay rookeries from a few thousand to some 215,000 birds is said to have coincided with the improvement of the crab and mullet fisheries in that region. The guano deposited by the birds enriches the shallow waters and enables the single-celled plants which form the basis of the chain of life in the sea to flourish.
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	Q&A 6.	Will Sea Secrets kindly answer some queries concerning water birds? I should like to know how to identify the voice of snowy egrets and in what location their nests may be found. Also, a description of their nests and of their eggs. West Palm Beach, Florida
	The snowy egret or snowy heron, (Leucopholyx thula, is generally quite silent but may, on occasion, utter a harsh, grating sound described as a scold or hiss. Nests are sometimes built 6 to 12 feet high in water-growing shrubs but are more often found only a foot or so above the water in matted marsh vegetation. The structure is a frail, sparse platform built of sticks and lined with a finer, material. The eggs number 4 or 5 and are of a pale bluish green, measuring 1.7 x 1.3 inches.
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	Q&A 7.	What is the dovekie?
	The dovekie or little auk, (Plautus alle), is one of the tremendously abundant northern sea birds which the Eskimos capture quite easily on the wing by means of long handled nets. After being kept frozen for a time inside a sealskin, the dovekies are eaten raw. These little birds feed on small marine crustaceans, which they transport back to the nest inside their elastic cheek pouches. Once in a while dovekies may wander far off their course during migratory activities, and they have occasionally landed on the east coast of Florida.
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	Q&A 8.	What is the black skimmer?
	This bird, (Rynchops nigra), is noted for its habit of skimming over the surface of the sea with the lower edge of its knife-like bill cutting the water. Whether this aids in the procurement of food is a matter of some dispute. One theory is that the bird creates a disturbance with the immersed mandible which brings to the surface fish which it picks up on the return trip it usually makes over the same course. These birds often may be seen resting by day in compact flock on exposed sand bars. They are seldom found far from quiet bays, marsh channels, inlets, and river mouths, and their food consists of fish and small crustaceans
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	Q&A 9.	What sea bird migrates the longest distance?
	The Arctic tern, (Sterna paradisaea), has the distinction of migrating the greatest distance of any bird. Although this is not true of the population in general, certain individuals of this species winter in the Antarctic and nest in the Arctic region, making a 22,000 mile round trip in order to accomplish this. When nesting the Arctic tern feeds on insects, fish and crustacea, the last mentioned being its chief source of food at sea. It may generally be recognized by the distinctly grayish under parts, as well as the black “cap” on the head and the blood-red bill.
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	Q&A 10.	Royal terns and other birds are sometimes found along the beaches in an injured condition, although they do not appear to have been shot. Is there any explanation for this?
	Frequently royal terns (Thalasseus maximus) and other sea birds are injured by attacks of the large man-of-war or frigate bird, (Fregata magnificens), who dive upon them in flight in order to rob them of fish which they have caught. Occasionally the smaller bird is so disabled that it cannot fly and eventually starves. Frigate birds have never been seen to alight on the water, yet they are highly dexterous in capturing such things as flying fishes and occasional fish that leap when pursued by larger fish from below.
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	Q&A 11.	Is it true that the bald eagle subsists mainly upon fish?
	Yes, the American or bald eagle, (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), feeds almost entirely upon fish. Some they catch by seizing them at the surface of the water, some are stolen from ospreys, and a great many are found dead, such as fish carcasses washed up on the beach or the spent salmon of the northwest which die after spawning. Other smaller birds are sometimes killed by eagles, but these are usually ones which are sick or wounded and likely to fall prey to any scavaging bird or animal.
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	Q&A 12.	I have heard that great flocks of song birds (warblers) have been sighted in the open seas and are sometimes seen to fall dead upon the decks of vessels. What is the explanation for this strange occurrence? Panama City, Florida
	Small land birds cross the Gulf of Mexico heading south in the fall; in spring they make the return trip north. There is approximately 550 miles of open water that they must cover on each trip. If a strong headwind is encountered, they may become tired and fall exhausted in the sea. Records of seafaring men show many instances of this happening. In the past several years, scientific observers have been at sea and have recorded the migration and even witnessed the death of many birds during such adverse weather conditions. Frequently, birds alight on vessels to rest, resuming their flight later.
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	Q&A 13.	How does a pelican use its pouch in feeding?
	Contrary to common opinion, the pouch is not used to store food unless it is being carried to the young. The pouch is used as an accessory organ in catching fish. The pelican dives on surface fish with its beak slightly opened to allow the fish to enter. The inrushing water, carrying the fish. with it, swells out the pouch of the lower jaw. A pelican’s pouch may hold two or more gallons of water. The beak is then held under water and the muscles of the pouch are contracted forcing the trapped water out of slits that are located on either side of the lower jaw.
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	Q&A 14.	What do pelicans feed on other than fish? Where are they in the summer months when I don't see them in Miami or Miami Beach? Miami Beach, Florida
	Wild pelicans do not normally feed on anything except fish. Their diet is mostly menhaden but they eat some mullet, pigfish, thread herring, topminnows, and jack crevalles. They are not prompted to leave Miami and Miami Beach in the summer due to any migratory urges, since they are not migratory in the sense that ducks are, but they require clear water to fish in and so avoid estuaries and other muddy situations. Since Florida has so much rain in the summer, they probably leave Biscayne Bay for clearer Florida waters; however, they might leave for other unknown reasons. On the Florida east coast pelicans at one time had a nesting grounds on an island in the Indian River. The island was set aside as a federal reservation, but in spite of this the pelicans, for some unknown reason, have left the island.
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	Q&A 15.	How can you identify the voice of snowy egrets and in what location are their nests found? Also, what do the nests and eggs of the egret look like? Key West, Florida
	The snowy egret or snowy heron, Leucopholyx thula, is generally quite silent but may, on occasion, utter a harsh, grating should described as a scold or hiss. Nests are sometimes built 6 to 12 feet high in water-growing shrubs, but are more often found only a foot or so above the water in matted marsh vegetation. The structure is a frail, sparse platform built of sticks and lined with a finer material. The eggs number 4 or 5 and are of a pale bluish green, measuring 1.7 X 1.3 inches.
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	Q&A 16.	What method can be employed to keep seagulls away from places where they are a nuisance? Hialeah, Florida
	The most successful method developed so far is to play recordings of the gulls’ alarm call. A method used for some time to chase starlings away has been to broadcast their distress calls over a loudspeaker. Herring gulls do not have distress calls, but they will react to alarm calls. These consist of two piercing cries in descending sequence followed by from two to five sharp cries. The gulls draw near to investigate when they hear this call and then they slowly circle away. In recent experiments gulls were driven away from dumps, a cannery, a fish meal plant and from the shore by playing tape recordings of the alarm call. Gulls were affected up to a half mile from the speaker and; they remained away from 30 to 45 minutes.
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	Q&A 17.	Can the sexes of the brown pelican of Florida be distinguished by its feathers? Is it a migratory bird? Highland Park, Illinois
	No, the male and female brown pelican cannot be distinguished by its plumage. Adult birds have two plumages, one the breeding plumage in which the head and part of the neck is white - the back of the neck a dark chestnut-brown. In the post-breeding or winter plumage the brown hind-neck of the breeding plumage becomes white. The brown pelicans concentrate during their breeding season and then spread out again afterwards. As far as is known their movements are quite local and should not be classed as migrations. The white pelican, on the other hand, is a migratory animal, nesting in the far western United States and wintering along the Gulf Coast. Several hundred winter in the Cape Sable area each year.
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	Q&A 18.	While I was on the beach between Hallandale and Hollywood, Florida, about 75 feet from shore, I saw something sticking up about a foot out of the water that I at first thought was the head of a duck or small pelican, but, there was no body of any kind. As I watched, it was motionless for about 5 or 10 seconds then disappeared in the water like a duck would dive and it did not reappear! Could you please tell me what this could be? Miami Beach, Florida
	Almost certainly the object seen was a bird, as has been suggested. Giving a definite answer as to the species is difficult, as several have the ability to submerge and to swim long distances under water. It is likely that the bird was either a cormorant, a horned grebe or a water turkey. The latter is seldom found far from mangrove swamps and it is the least likely of the three. Cormorants are large, black, duck-like birds that are common in all shore waters of Florida and can be seen perched on channel markers and buoys. Grebes are occasional migrants through south Florida at this time of year and are very adept at swimming partly submerged. All of these birds are superlative divers and feed almost exclusively on fish they capture while submerged. The grebe and the water turkey are observed, most commonly with the body submerged and with the long snake-like neck held very still. When the birds are frightened, they submerge quickly and with scarcely a ripple of the water. The length of time that these birds can remain submerged is long enough to allow the bird to swim long distances and thus capture its food or to escape its enemies. The cormorants have been recognized as excellent divers for centuries and the Chinese and Japanese use this bird as a captive fishing device. A metal ring is placed on the neck of the cormorant to prevent swallowing of the captured fish, and the fish are squeezed from the birds mouth by the handler. For accurate information of such birds, it is best to consult Roger Petersons “Field Guide to the Birds” that can be found in most libraries and book stores.
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	Q&A 19.	Is it possible to train animals to catch fish for humans? Atlanta, Georgia
	This is possible, and is quite a common method in some parts of the world. Probably the best known case of this method of fishing is the use of a bird, the cormorant, in China and Japan. This method has been used for at least 1000 years and probably considerably longer. The birds are hatched and spend all of their life in captivity. Their wings are usually clipped and a ring of rattan is placed around the lower end of their necks. The ring allows them to swallow small fish but not large ones. The cormorants are trained to catch fish and bring them to their masters. Another animal which has been trained to fish for man is a mammal, the otter, which is a vigorous swimmer. Otters are more readily trained than cormorants. Otter-fishing was formerly common in many widely scattered parts of the world, but in modern times it is almost confined to Asia.
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	Q&A 20.	How many pounds of fish do you think a pelican might consume in one year? New York City, New York
	An estimated annual consumption of one ton of fish has been reported for pelicans of the species Pelicanus roseus on the Lake Edward in Africa. Most of the fish eaten there are adult Tilapia, species of which are raised in fish ponds in many tropical countries.
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	Q&A 21.	There appears to be a war on between swarms of seagulls and various maritime equipment of considerable value here in the Canal Zone. What we earnestly would like to know is this: Does the seagull species generally have any winged, or other, enemy or enemies that prey upon it, or is feared by it...like birds of prey or whatnot? Balboa, Canal Zone
	No one in this laboratory knows of a suitable predatory bird which would drive away seagulls except possibly the skua. It is more likely that some small mammal might be found which would prey on the seagull's eggs. Unfortunately, the gulls and terns of Panama probably nest elsewhere.
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	Q&A 22.	How far from land do seagulls fly? Auckland, New Zealand
	Gulls are coastal birds and do not usually move far from the shore. An exception is the Kittiwake, which sometimes follows ships across the ocean, and characteristically is oceanic during the winter months.
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	Q&A 23.	When and how did the sea gulls first learn to take clams into the air and drop them on stones to break their shells so their meat would be available? Byram, Connecticut
	Reports of the manner in which sea gulls break clam shells have been made from most seacoast areas of the world, and stories of their feats are recorded in natural history books from the earliest times. Apparently young birds learn this behavior as they watch their parents and it is not an inborn instinct. It may have been accidental originally. A bird flying off with the shell, accidentally dropping it and diving down onto a rock would find the shell split open and the contents at his disposal. It should not have required more than a few such accidents to teach the bird that this is an easy way to get to the clam, The same actions have been observed in birds that feed upon mussels and other bivalves, even including oysters.
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	Q&A 24.	Do sea birds, such as gulls and sand pipers, drink sea water? Fort Lauderdale, Florida
	It is known that gulls, pelicans and other sea birds do drink sea water, and it is assumed that waders use the same mechanism. Sea water is swallowed by the bird and the excess salt is then secreted by special salt glands which discharge into the nostrils.
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	Q&A 25.	Recently we found a sandpiper on the dunes of Long Beach Island, New Jersey, with its legs and wings apparently paralyzed. The little bird could barely move its head. Could this have been the result of intensive mosquito spraying or is there some disease that afflicts birds in this manner? Wallingford, Pennsylvania
	The cause of the bird's paralysis cannot be definitely determined without examination of the bird. The symptoms you describe, however, are commonly observed in birds following aerial spraying of certain insecticides. If other birds in similar distress are observed, you should bring the matter to the attention of the local health department, or the conservation authorities. If possible, freeze a dead bird for later tissue analysis.
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	Q&A 26.	While watching penguins at the Coney Island Aquarium, I was struck by an apparent contradiction. On the one hand they swim on the surface almost like ducks, with half to one-third of their bodies above the surface. On the other hand, they dive with apparent ease. How does a bird which is so apparently buoyant manage to dive so well? New York, New York
	Buoyancy in diving birds has long posed many perplexing questions. Somehow these birds are able to control their buoyancy. Often one may see a loon or grebe, floating at the surface, sink slowly out of sight without any apparent external motion. Birds' lungs are small in comparison with those of mammals. They possess, however, a system of air sacs. These bud off from the lungs themselves and ramify out into the body cavity and even into the skeleton. Upon inspiration and expiration, a bird can bring in or get rid of a volume of air that, int. comparison with that contained within the lungs, is very great. Feathers are important in buoyancy control, too. Compression of the plumage expels much air which is ordinarily trapped in it. Finally, there are, apparently many other ways in which ballast can be taken on or thrown off. In penguins caught in natural surrounding, pebbles and small rocks are often found in the stomachs. This is odd, since these are flesh-eating birds and gizzard stones are not necessary. R.C. Murphy in Oceanic Birds of South America, Vol 1., goes so far as to suggest that these may function as ballast.
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	Q&A 27.	Recently I observed a straight line flight of what appeared to be geese or swans moving northward just above the water along our beach. There were fifteen birds in the flock and the leader was black. A few minutes later a smaller flight came along and at least one of these birds was also black. Could you identify these birds? Delray Beach, Florida
	The birds you observed probably were double-crested cormorants. These birds fly in compact formation, very much as do geese. Adult birds are jet-black, while immature birds have much gray and brown. The shape of the cormorant resembles that of a goose. Its steady, rapid flight is reminiscent of geese also. True geese and swans occur rarely in South Florida.
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	Q&A 28.	While on an ocean cruise we saw many tiny birds fluttering around just above the surface. A seaman told me they are called petrels. What is a petrel? Where did the name come from? Miami, Florida
	The petrels are small, web-footed birds of the order Procellariiformes. Apparently they derived their common name from their habit of appearing to walk across the surface of the water (as the apostle Peter is said to have done). When they seem to walk on the water they are actually skimming low over the waves and patting the surface with their feet. The word petrel is derived from the Italian Petrello, which means Little Peter. An article on petrels will appear in a coming issue of Sea Frontiers.
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	Q&A 29.	In Sarasota Bay there are two common pelicans. One has a brown head, brown back and white breast; the other has a whitish or yellowish head, brown back and dark brown breast. Are these male and female of the same species? Do the young have brown eyes that later turn light bluish or gray? Sarasota, Florida
	Two species of pelicans occur in Florida-the white pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchus, and the brown pelican, P. occidentalis. The white pelican is usually present in the state only in winter. It is a strikingly large bird, with a wingspread exceeded in North American birds only by the California condor. The white pelican's size and white plumage, contrasted by extensive black wing tips, render it unmistakable. It can hardly be confused with any other species. The brown pelican is present in Florida throughout the year. The birds you refer to are almost certainly of this species, which can be seen in a number of plumages. Immature birds of either sex have a brownish-gray head and neck and a white belly. Adults in breeding plumage have a yellowish-white head and a brown - usually a rich brown - neck. Adults in non-breeding plumage have a neck which is largely white, the head being similar to that of the breeding birds. In all adults the belly plumage is dark. There are no recognizable plumage characteristics by which the sexes of brown pelicans can be distinguished in the field. Breeding birds acquire, as you have noticed, iris coloration and coloration of the bare skin areas of the head which are quite different from immature and non-breeding birds. An article on pelicans appeared in Sea Frontiers, Vol. 9, No.4, September, 1963.
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	Q&A 30.	I have seen birds hundreds of miles at sea in the path of an approaching hurricane. Are such birds killed by the terrific winds, or do they somehow survive? Homestead, Florida
	Some birds are killed by hurricanes, but many others survive and may be carried great distances, even inland. Some scientists believe that hurricanes may play an important part in the distribution of some species of birds. An article entitled "Hurricanes and Birds" will appear in a coming issue of Sea Frontiers.
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	Q&A 31.	We have seen white pelicans down here on the Keys many times, and would like to know whether these are a different species from the common brown pelican. If so, where do they spend the summer? Where do they nest? Islamorada, Florida
	The white Eelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) is a different species from the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis). It is larger, having a wing span of up to nine or ten feet, and has a snow-white body, with the trailing edges of the wings lined in black. The beak is yellow, turning orange in the breeding season. White pelicans breed in the Summer from Texas to Canada, usually nesting on the ground on islands in remote lakes. The largest rookery known is at Pyramid Lake, Nevada, where an estimated 11,000 birds breed each year. In winter, white pe1icans migrate to warmer regions and are found from southern California and the Gulf of Mexico south to Guatemala. More information on this and other pelicans can be found in Oceanic Birds of South America by Robert Cushman Murphy.
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	Q&A 32.	My question concerns some small canary-like birds that I have encountered from 20 to 50 miles off the coast of Virginia. They are orange to yellow in color and measure about 4 inches from head to tail. Their most distinguishing characteristic is their very spindly legs and feet, which look as if they can barely support the weight of the bird. They seem completely tame, and will perch on your head or beside you on the boat or let you pick them up. They will accept no food, but are able to catch a fly in flight. If you can identify this bird from my description, I would appreciate hearing about its habits and habitat. For example, where do they sleep at night? Norfolk, Virginia
	The yellow birds you met at sea must have been warblers, land birds traveling to or from the Bahamas or points farther south during their spring or fall migration. Most warblers show the yellow coloring you describe, so it is impossible to name the species you saw. These small birds perform long migrations over water, often traveling many hundreds of miles. (See Oscar T. Owre, "Hurricanes and Birds," Sea Frontiers Vol. 13, No.1, Jan.-Feb., 1967.) Once over the ocean they cannot stop, except on a boat. They are fearless about such perching, for often it is a matter of perch or drown. Columbus shared your experience, by the way, when he encountered south-bound flocks of warblers east of the Bahamas on his first trip. They were the first evidence of land he had seen, and by steering toward the direction the birds were coming from, he eventually reached his landfall at San Salvador in the Bahamas.
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	Q&A 33.	I have lived here in the Sea of Cortez, on a small boat, for almost eight years. Needless to say, I have watched the brown pelicans in the area for days on end, but I have never heard one make a sound. The cormorant is similar in its silence. Could you tell me if the pelicans or cormorants actually I: do vocalize, and if so, how many different signals these sounds communicate. La Paz, Mexico
	Bird vocalizations are produced within a structure known as the syrinx, which lies within the body at the juncture of the two bronchial tubes with the trachea. (Mammals produce sound within the larynx, a modification of the trachea lying immediately behind the pharynx; a larynx is present in birds too, but sound is not produced by it.) The syrinx is actually a resonating chamber that contains vibrating membranes. The membranes are controlled by series of muscles that change membrane tension and position. The ability of a bird to produce a range of vocalization depends upon the number of muscles that attach to its syrinx. As you would expect, song birds have many such pairs of muscles. Some birds, however, lack functional syringeal muscles and thus can produce only such noise as sounds connected with air being forcefully expelled from the respiratory system. Pelicans are of this category. In the cormorants at least a pair of muscles is present and these birds are capable of certain calls that are largely restricted to the young or to adults during the time of courtship. Despite the lack of vocalization, communication is of course achieved by these birds. The best source on this at present is "A Comparative Study of Some Social Communication Patterns in the Pelecaniforms" by Gerard Frederick Van Tets, Ornithological Monographs No.2, published by the American Ornithologists Union.
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	Q&A 34.	On a recent fishing trip to Cape Hatteras we went out about 30 to 40 miles to fish for dolphin in the Gulf Stream. We found the weed line and the fish, but were attacked by hundreds of brown birds about the size of harbor gulls. These birds would grab our lures and bait and take them up into the air. They would dive to 15 to 20 feet to bring our bait to the surface; in the process, we caught about 20 birds, all of whom seemed very hungry. They had brown backs, black necks and heads with small white patches to either side, and cream-colored breasts. Can you tell me the name of this bird and something about it? Charlottesville, Virginia
	Without seeing these birds or a picture of them, it is impossible to make certain identification. It is probable, however, that your birds were a species of the family Sulidae, which includes gannets and boobies. Gannets winter off the eastern United States, and although the birds you saw might have been of this type, they are more likely to have been brown boobies. These birds congregate in groups on the surface, dive into the water from the air, and actively pursue fish under water. You can check this yourself in either Seabirds of the Tropical Atlantic Ocean, by George E. Watson, Smithsonian Press, or A Field Guide to the Birds, by Roger T. Peterson, Houghton Mifflin Company.
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	Q&A 35.	Do black-footed albatrosses dive for food? I have seen them land on the water and pick up food, but have never observed them diving. A sea captain I know, however, tells me that they sometimes dive and swim under water like pelicans. Is this true? Eureka, California
	The black-footed albatross belongs to the order of birds called Procellariformes, a group adapted to exploit the open ocean by various means. Thus the storm petrels patter on the surface with their feet while simultaneously gaining lift from their outstretched wings, some other petrels pursue food while submerged, and the larger petrels and shearwaters can pick up food during their flapping or gliding flight, dive for it or swim up to it on the surface. Albatrosses, however, have difficulty with flapping flight because of their immense wingspreads. They are adapted to cover great distances, soaring and gliding over the vastness of the oceans, returning to land only every other year or so to nest. Their usual method of feeding is to alight on the water and paddle up to the food they have located from the air. It would be foolish to say that albatrosses never dive, although such an event has never been formally noted. Diving is not, however, their normal feeding style, and anatomically they are poorly adapted for it.
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	Q&A 36.	How do sea and beach birds keep their feet warm in winter? I see them walking around on the ice in subzero temperatures. I suppose their feet and legs don't get brittle because their temperature remains above the freezing point of the blood, but still there has to be some point at which this fluid enters the body for renewal. In a winter gale the energy required to warm this blood sufficiently to avoid chilling the bird's vitals must be enormous. I don't see how they could produce it at all, much less during the food shortages of winter. I imagine that their legs must be maintained at pretty close to air temperature, but if so, why don't they become inoperative? Old Mystic, Connecticut
	Long-legged polar or boreal birds have a number of adaptations enabling them to spend long hours in water near freezing, or even to be frozen into the ice, without serious consequences. Among the most important of these is a circulatory arrangement known as a rete mirabile, or "wonderful net." The net is a tangle of capillaries in which cold venous blood returning from the legs comes into close contact with arterioles carrying warm blood to the legs. Heat is exchanged between the two currents, so that the blood entering the body does not chill the bird's vitals. Little blood is required in the legs in any case, for they contain little muscle below the feathered portion. The long legs of wading birds consist mainly of bone, fat, and tendons.
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	Q&A 37.	I have been told that the life span of the pelican is shortened by the repeated concussion of its head on the surface of the water as it plummets to catch fish. This could conceivably cause multiple minute cerebral hemorrhage which, on a cumulative basis, would put it into the same category as a punch- drunk prizefighter and unable to take care of itself. True or false? New Haven, Connecticut
	In gannets and the diving pelicans (both of the Order Pelecaniformes), the bulk of the impact with the water is apparently borne by the cushion of air that is found beneath the skin of the trunk, particularly the lower neck and breast. The skin of these birds is said to be pneumatic or emphysematous. To the best of our knowledge, brain damage does not result in these birds from repeated diving-nor does such seem logical. Natural selection does not "work" this way. It would be an improvident "Nature" that produced such poorly adapted organisms.
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	Q&A 38.	What conditions caused the development of the flightless cormorant of the Galapagos Islands, and why are there no flying cormorants on these islands today? Also, do the cormorants in Florida today actually have offspring of a flightless condition that do not survive because of their helplessness in a hostile environment? Miami, Florida
	Flight is a metabolically expensive activity. A species inhabiting an area where flight is unnecessary - either because of a lack of predators, a lack of necessity of flight to procure food, or a combination of these factors plus possible additional ones - would tend to accumulate those mutations deleterious to flight. Thus, gradual deterioration of the physical and physiological factors facilitating flight would occur. We lack the ability to turn back the pages of time and see how long such a process would require, but most biologists view it as a very slow one, requiring incalculable generations. The activities of the flightless cormorant in the Galapagos Islands today are interesting in light of the above. The birds sun, rest, and nest near the sea. They simply wade to the water, submerge and swim a short distance to their fishing grounds, and then return to the nests or sunning areas where they digest their fish. The climate and feeding conditions are optimum year-round. Flight would, there- fore, appear to be superfluous. The Galapagos are far from the South American continent. Cormorants are t birds of the sea coasts and inland lakes, and do not ordinarily fly far from the coastlines; hence they are not apt to wander far across pelagic wastes. Obviously, some did long ago, and these gave rise to the present flightless species. Now the ecological niche available to a cormorant is preempted by this species. Flying cormorants that might arrive in the Galapagos today would find it difficult to establish themselves in competition with the species there now. We know of no species of cormorant in Florida being hatched in a flightless condition. If such did occur, obviously the animal would perish.
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	Q&A 39.	On a recent fishing trip about 15 miles out of Destin, Florida, a small bird flew aboard and landed on my chair arm. I held my hand close, and it hopped onto it, up my arm, and stayed on my shoulder for a minute or two. It was a small brownish bird, shorter than a sparrow, and about the shape of a wren but slightly larger. Do you have any idea as to what kind of bird it was, or where it came from? Malden, Missouri
	Dr. Oscar T. Owre of the University of Miami tells us that, during the spring and fall, dozens of species-their total populations numbering in the hundreds of thousands-cross between Florida, the islands east and south of it, and South America. While in flight, many of these birds will land to investigate any area which may afford a convenient resting place. At times, having encountered head winds or difficult flying conditions, some of these birds begin to "run out of fuel" - the stores of fat they have built up which act as the source of their energy. When this happens, the birds fall into the water and drown. Boats in areas where such a phenomenon is occurring may be literally covered with birds seeking a resting place. It is not possible to identify the species that landed on your boat, since your description is a general one that might fit many species of warblers, vireos, finches, swallows, etc., which make such journeys. Either a trip to a local museum or reference to the Field Guide to the Birds of the Eastern United States by Roger Tory Peterson might give you a clue.
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	Q&A 40.	Can you tell me why the petrels that I see when fishing offshore are known as "Mother Carey's Chickens"? Bethany Beach, Delaware
	Petrels have great powers of flight, and their habitats are scattered over the oceans of the world. On the North Atlantic coast, the best known is Wilson’s petrel, which is often referred to as "Mother Carey's chicken." Supposedly, the name was derived from the Latin Mater Cara (Dear Mother), an appellation of the Virgin Mother of Christ affectionately attached to these little birds by mariners of ancient times. Subsequently misunderstood and Anglicized, the appelation, as applied to petrels, became Mother Carey. Interesting information about these seemingly tireless birds is given in "Petrels, Sea Pigeons and Mother Carey's Chickens," Sea Frontiers, Vol. 12, No.4, July-August, 1966.
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	Q&A 41.	When pelicans dive for fishes, do they hold their bill closed and stun their prey, or do they open their bill and engulf it? If the latter is the answer, why do gulls stay around pelicans-surely they cannot expect to rob a fish out of a pelican's bill? Captiva, Florida
	Brown pelicans open their bill when they dive for fishes. According to "The Flight of Birds" by John Storer (Cranbrook Institute of Science Bulletin 28), the pelican always turns as it strikes the water and catches a fish crosswise in its bill, probably to break the back of the fish. Most authorities believe that laughing gulls actually rob pelicans of fishes. In Florida Bird Life by Arthur H. Howell (Coward-McCann, New York, 1932), it is stated: "The pelicans are often robbed of their catch by man-o’-war-birds or by laughing gulls, the latter species sometimes alighting on the head of a pelican and snatching a fish from its pouch..." From the Overseas Highway bridges in the Florida Keys, one can sometimes see a gull perch briefly atop the head of a pelican or hover over it just after it has surfaced from a dive. Presumably, they snatch the fish from the mandibles or take it when the pelican opens its mouth to place it backward into the pouch.
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	Q&A 42.	On several occasions, I have seen what appear to be sea gulls flying over Denver, Colorado. If they are sea gulls, why are they so far from salt-water? Denver, Colorado
	Sea gulls are found as much as 1,500 miles inland on occasion and, in fact, breed at Mohawk Island in Lake Erie, 500 miles inland (see "Inland Sea Gulls," Sea Frontiers, Vol. 15, No.1, January-February. 1969). British ornithologists have noted that yearly more and more sea gulls are coming inland periodically. These birds seem especially to frequent large cities and garbage dumps. Thus, in all probability, what you have seen are indeed sea gulls.
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	Q&A 43.	Why do pelicans and cormorants seem to vibrate their throats? Sarasota, Florida
	Pelicans, cormorants, and other birds of the order Pelicaniformes (except tropic birds) possess a gular pouch, which is vibrated as an aid for regulating body temperature. This activity is known as gular fluttering. The highly vascularized gular pouch is a region of abundantly flowing blood, which is cooled by the air taken in during the gular fluttering.
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	Q&A 44.	I have been told that the brilliance of the sun on the water in the Caribbean can blind pelicans so that they are unable to capture food and starve. Is this true? Knoxville, Tennessee
	No evidence that this blindness has occurred has ever been found, and it is very unlikely to ever be found. Since pelicans obtain all their food from the sea, their visual system contains mechanisms that allow the birds to see under many types of light conditions, including bright sunlight. These mechanisms include a motile pupil which closes down in bright light (the same way they do in man's eyes), as well as two different types of photoreceptor cells to cover dark as well as bright lighting conditions.
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	Q&A 45.	Why is there a complete absence of sea gulls in Hawaii? The ocean is warm, the fishes are there, so where are the gulls? Kailua-Kona, Hawaii