Seabirds and Infrasound: A New Discovery in Long-Distance Navigation

Seabirds, such as the wandering albatross, have long been known for their incredible ability to travel vast distances in search of food. However, a recent study has revealed a new and fascinating aspect of their navigation abilities: the use of infrasound. Infrasound is a type of sound wave that is too low in frequency for humans to hear, but it can travel long distances and provide important information about the environment.

Researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Bristol conducted a study to investigate how seabirds, specifically wandering albatrosses, use infrasound to navigate. They found that these birds are able to detect and respond to infrasound, which could help them determine the best flight paths and foraging locations.

The study involved analyzing data from the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), which operates a global network of sensors designed to detect nuclear tests. The researchers combined this data with GPS tracking information from 89 wandering albatrosses to compare the birds’ movements with the levels of infrasound in their environment.

The results of the study showed that the albatrosses tended to choose the direction with the loudest infrasound when deciding where to fly next. This suggests that they may be using infrasound to find food or to conserve energy during their long flights. However, the researchers are not yet sure why areas with louder infrasound are more favorable for the birds.

This discovery has important implications for our understanding of how seabirds navigate and find food, as well as the potential impact of human activities on their behavior. Infrasound could help seabirds adapt to changing ocean habitats and find food even as stocks diminish due to climate change. However, human-generated noise could also interfere with the birds’ ability to detect infrasound, potentially harming their survival.

Further research is needed to fully understand how seabirds use infrasound and whether other species of birds also rely on this form of communication. The study’s findings could also have implications for the development of new technologies to monitor and protect seabird populations in the face of climate change and other environmental threats.