How do they know?

[John53]

Found a short article on a similar event in a different area of Australia in 2017.

Thousands of birds travel to inland lakes

 

[Kenny]

Put in their DNA something that alerts them there has been high rainfall inland turning normally dry land into swamp during the summer of 22/23?

Pretty apparent, IMV.

 

[metis]

Found a short article on a similar event in a different area of Australia in 2017.

Thousands of birds travel to inland lakes

Not bad for being descendants of dinosaurs. Seems they learned their lesson.

 

[John53]

Pretty apparent, IMV.

Not to me so an explanation would be real handy especially if you feel it should be included in my article. Because Kenny said so isn't likely to generate a lot of interest.

 

[Ponder This]

It's not so much a problem, just something that interests me and I try to write an article each month for the bird club newsletter. Hopefully if the topic interests me it will interest others, unfortunately I can find very little on the subject so I need a few ideas to hopefully expand upon in the article.



I haven't ruled anything out but it seems unlikely to me that they have seen or heard storms. The current conditions inland have been caused by 18 months or so of unusually high rainfall.

Thanks for your thoughts, much appreciated.

Thank You.
I am curious as to why you think it is unlikely for the birds to have directly seen or heard the rain given that 18 months or so of unusually high rainfall occurred (now that I've explained how the rain clouds could be directly visible to the birds). I would appreciate to know.

Also this may be of interest to you:
Elephants Able To Detect Rainstorms 150 Miles Away

The elephants’ abilities are rooted in their excellent hearing skills. Elephants can hear sounds at very low frequencies, even those below the human range of hearing. It’s one of the ways they communicate with each other. Thunderstorms also produce low-frequency sound, whether it’s a thunderclap or the pitter-patter of rain hitting the Earth. Scientists aren’t sure which element elephants are listening to, but they know the animals are detecting some signature component of oncoming rain.

Animals have a different range of hearing than humans.
What birds can hear? (2004)

Sensitivity to frequencies below 20 Hz (infrasound) has not received much attention; however, pigeons and a few other species have shown behavioral and physiological responses to these low frequencies.

 

[John53]

Thank You.
I am curious as to why you think it is unlikely for the birds to have directly seen or heard the rain given that 18 months or so of unusually high rainfall occurred (now that I've explained how the rain clouds could be directly visible to the birds). I would appreciate to know.

Also this may be of interest to you:
Elephants Able To Detect Rainstorms 150 Miles Away


Animals have a different range of hearing than humans.
What birds can hear? (2004)

I don't think detecting rain would alert them that areas normally dry are now under water.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I don't think detecting rain would alert them that areas normally dry are now under water.

but it might suggest to a few to go scout it out...

 

[John53]

but it might suggest to a few to go scout it out...

I think that would require a higher level of cooperation than birds have, flying 500klm there and 500klm back would be an extreme waste of energy just to alert other birds.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

I think that would require a higher level of cooperation than birds have, flying 500klm there and 500klm back would be an extreme waste of energy just to alert other birds.

Sure it could be too much. But it COULD be tested to see whether or not it happens. As with a lot of other suggestions that you've shot down because you're incredulous of possible explanations others have offered.

Certainly, none of us have the actual knowledge of how it happens, but that it happens is fact. Nor do we have the resources to conduct the necessary tests. So everything remains speculation.

So, what is YOUR explanation?

 

[John53]

Sure it could be too much. But it COULD be tested to see whether or not it happens. As with a lot of other suggestions that you've shot down because you're incredulous of possible explanations others have offered.

Certainly, none of us have the actual knowledge of how it happens, but that it happens is fact. Nor do we have the resources to conduct the necessary tests. So everything remains speculation.

So, what is YOUR explanation?

My guess is the rotting vegetation of flooded areas gives off a smell that birds recognise and head off in that direction.

 

[beenherebeforeagain]

My guess is the rotting vegetation of flooded areas gives off a smell that birds recognise and head off in that direction.

That's a good testable idea, too!

 

[Ponder This]

I don't think detecting rain would alert them that areas normally dry are now under water.

How do they know the area is normally dry?

 

[John53]

How do they know the area is normally dry?

Good question that I can't answer

 

[metis]

How do they know the area is normally dry?

Because weather records throughout most of the world have been accumulated for over two centuries now. Also, we have known since the latter 1800's that higher levels of CO2 and methane gas have a heating effect on the planet.

 

[John53]

Because weather records throughout most of the world have been accumulated for over two centuries now. Also, we have known since the latter 1800's that higher levels of CO2 and methane gas have a heating effect on the planet.

I think he was talking about the birds.