. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. "As we pushed off (in our boat) for the ride home, the adult pelicans tightened their circle to a funnel," she writes. "With each pass, a few more dropped to the ground to soothe their young and regurgitate fish. By the time we reached the channel that led to the public dock, only a few birds remained in the air. The rest had settled like dust from the still air of a summer ; Banding operations like the one conducted by Weske have helped scientists track the routes of pelicans, whic
. Coast watch. Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology. "As we pushed off (in our boat) for the ride home, the adult pelicans tightened their circle to a funnel," she writes. "With each pass, a few more dropped to the ground to soothe their young and regurgitate fish. By the time we reached the channel that led to the public dock, only a few birds remained in the air. The rest had settled like dust from the still air of a summer ; Banding operations like the one conducted by Weske have helped scientists track the routes of pelicans, which are migratory birds. Some species have migrated as far as south of the equator. "They're migratory birds, but some migrate and some choose to stay here during the winter, especially if it's mild," Parnell says. "Chicks that have been banded here have been returned to us after having died as far south as ; Some scientists have linked the drastic decline of brown pelicans 20 years ago with man's efforts to eradicate mosquitoes and other insects from coastal areas. The use of DDT-laden pesticides in more southern states such as Texas and Louisiana — where the pelican is the state bird — in the 1950s and 1960s caused pelicans and other carnivorous birds, like ospreys and peregrine falcons, to lay thin- shelled eggs. Those eggs stood an unlikely chance of hosting a healthy bird, Parnell says. Thus, pelican populations in Texas were almost eradicated. In North Carolina, where there had been no evidence of thinner eggs, DDT was sprayed along the Outer Banks in mosquito removal programs. "We've never really linked DDT to the decline of the pelican here," Parnell says. "But it may have been a ; DDT-laden pesticides were banned in this country in the late 1960s. But that event may not be the single most impor- tant factor in the rise in pelican popula- tions. "I don't think pesticides are an issue and haven't been an issue he
Size: 910px × 2746px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookcollectionunclibra, booksubjectoceanography
