Have you ever wondered how birds fare during a major storm like Beryl? We asked our Coastal Biologist Lindsay Addison how our feathered friends weathered the storm this week:
Beryl's path tracked northeast along the Carolina coast. Photo credit: US National Weather Service Raleigh NC
For a system like this, birds would typically just hunker down. We're often asked where they go during hurricanes or other storms, and they have only two choices, ride it out or get out of the way. For example, the Black Skimmers that were still at the south end of Wrightsville Beach when Irene arrived last August stayed low behind the dunes and were there the next day, unharmed. If birds can find a spot that is low enough to be out of the wind, they will likely be fine. However, storms can blow birds off course, and in the aftermath of a hurricane coastal birds are sometimes seen inland. Birds in poor body condition or that have other problems may perish in a storm.
Right now, with eggs and chicks on the ground, the birds' main task is to keep their young dry. Eggs can fail if they are left out in the rain, and chicks can get hypothermia and die if their parents don't keep them warm and dry during a storm. But, parent birds have very strong instincts to attend their eggs and chicks, so usually they come through just fine as long as a storm surge doesn't inundate their nesting area.
This is also the season for chicks. If people find a young bird that hasn't fledged yet, they should look to see if adult birds are squawking nearby. These are the parents, and they are taking care of the chick. Species like Northern Mockingbirds often hop out of the nest a few days early, before they can fly. They've been pooping in the nest since they hatched, and its odor could attract a predator, making it perhaps safer for the chick to hide elsewhere. If there is an adult present, people should put the chick back. Touching a young bird won't make the parents abandon it. If there are no parents apparent, they can contact a local wildlife rehabber and place the bird in a shoebox or some other quiet, dark place to reduce stress.
If you ever find an injured bird or orphaned chick, find a licensed rehabber near you - http://ncwildliferehab.org/index.html. If you can't find someone local, you can try calling the next nearest person and they might have someone closer to you.
