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On one hand that sucks. On the other hand, given their alleged response to disturbances, how aren't these birds extinct yet? This makes me somewhat skeptical
by chmod775 5y ago
On one hand that sucks.
On the other hand, given their alleged response to disturbances, how aren't these birds extinct yet?
This makes me somewhat skeptical of this story.
- opencl 5y agoMany bird species have low survival rates for their young but the species survives because each adult lays a large number of eggs in its lifetime.
- tolbish 5y ago> Michael H. Horn, a professor emeritus of biology at California State University, Fullerton, said that although the loss of 1,500 eggs might not threaten the long-term health of the elegant tern, which has a worldwide population of about 100,000 to 150,000, the drone crash was still troubling. [0] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/04/us/elegant-tern-eggs-drone-crash-california.html https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/04/us/elegant-tern-eggs-dron...
- scandox 5y agoWith that attitude eventually there will just be cockroaches, rats and humans.
- hugoromano 5y agonot even humans. what humans don't understand is that when you protect ecosystems, i.e. the planet you protect your own species. We are part of a biological "balance" a change creates risks for us.
- deleted 5y ago[deleted]
- ramphastidae 5y agoReally? You are “skeptical”? Did you even read the article? It’s a nesting island on a dedicated ecological reserve. This has likely been happening there for decades or centuries.
- chmod775 5y agoThank you. Your well-written and thoughtful response helped me greatly in broadening my understanding and from now on I will take every news article at face value. I really appreciated how you specifically addressed the question I posed. Edit: How is a snarky comment that serves no purpose besides being self-serving and demeaning higher rated than the constructive comments in this tree? That's an insult to the people in this community who are still trying. Bonus points for downvoting the other person who asked an honest question in the thread. My disappointment with this place increases by the day.
- dang 5y agoCould you please not be a jerk in HN comments or otherwise break the site guidelines? It's not the first time you've done this, unfortunately, and we're really trying for something different here. If you wouldn't mind reviewing https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html and taking the intended spirit of the site more to heart, we'd be grateful.
- ramphastidae 5y agoSure, sorry about that.
- dang 5y agoAppreciated!
- javajosh 5y agoDoes anyone know how these birds react to thunderstorms?
- greenburger 5y agoThunderstorms are likely rare in this location. Most of coastal California only experiences such storms less than once a year, depending on when they begin nesting any rain at all may not be common, as typically they is little rain from April to October.
- chewyfruitloop 5y agoProbably better than a huge lump of vibrating plastic plummeting out of the sky at them
- prawn 5y agoIt's most likely that the drone that crashed was similar in size to the type of bird that was spooked (Mavic Mini to Mavic Pro range; maybe a Phantom at most). Anyone flying a larger drone (Inspire and up) would have a serious license and familiarity with permits, therefore unlikely to be called "illegal". I'm guessing it either fell after colliding with a bird or was flying low enough with sensors off and clipped the ground.
- Ralfp 5y agoWild animals either shelter from thunderstorm, or they learn from each other differet behaviours (like making herd close-knit) to pull through.
- cratermoon 5y agoThunderstorms have been happening with some predictability since before birds even evolved. A buzzing, hovering, and erratically moving clanking mechanical thing is extremely novel. Which of those two would the birds have a genetically and socially built-in way to cope and survive through?