Being a bird and having wings, it may seem that they have the freedom to fly wherever they like but studies down in the University of Missouri show that what happens on the ground might effect where a bird flies. As we know what everything living organism does has an effect on aspects of biology. Movement in this case determines where a bird will reproduce and where they are affects which species meets what other kind and then this dictates how the genes spread. Scientists have found the birds that do not migrate lean more to traveling over areas that are protected by trees so that if a predator attacks it is easier to make an escape and it is easier to find food. This means that man-made areas such as gaps in areas of forest, rods and housing areas can make the areas in which birds reproduce smaller. When there is less space for a bird to find a mate this can eventually lead to inbreeding which will then produce smaller and weaker birds. This then has an impact n the species of bird as a whole which is then bad for the environment. During the summer Dylan Kesler, and assistant professor in fisheries and wildlife at the University of Missouri's School of Natural Resources and a graduate student of MU named Allison Cox tagged 33 young red bellied woodpeckers from Missouri's Mark Twain National Forest. The tags were used to study the birds daily flights using radio telemetry and GPS technology but there is only 4 months of research since the tags are designed to fall of after 4 months. But this is done during the summer and fall months since this that is the time in which the young birds are the most active, are establishing territories and looking for a mate.
I found this article interesting because I thought birds are only picky when it comes to the area they lay and eventually hatch their eggs in. I did not know that birds actually rely on landscaping and how "natural" the area is to not only lay eggs but also pick a mate. I think this topic ties in with our unit because we just finished our one world presentations, which mostly talk about the effects that humans have on animals and the environment. Well, this is a good example, because if we continue to keep on cutting down trees and then building roads, buildings, etc not only will birds be forced to inbreed but deforestation will also be a problem.
To learn more:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100831164946.htm
WOW! cool article you usually think that birds would rely on the skies above us rather than the ground below them. I think that this is really interesting!
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