Sky over Ukraine under a ban: eagles changed their route to avoid war

A new study shows that birds are forced to deviate from their migration routes by hundreds of kilometers to survive. Clanga Clanga are predatory birds that are in a vulnerable position today. Scientists have found that migration routes of these birds pass through Ukraine, which is covered by war today due to Russia's invasion. As a result, the vulnerable birds were forced to change the usual routes to avoid aircraft over Ukraine, writes The Guardian.

In a new study, a team from the University of Eastern England studied GPS data for almost two dozen large subordinates during 2022 migration, when they flew a few weeks after a full -scale invasion of Russia into the territory of Ukraine - in March and April 2022. It should be noted that females of large subordinates migrate from Greece, while males start it from East Africa. In focus. Technology has appeared its Telegram channel.

Subscribe not to miss the latest and most intrusive news from the world of science! According to the co -author of the study of Charlie Russell, they compared the migration routes of birds with their colleagues with paths of 65 other migrations, registered with 20 birds from 2018 to 2021. The results of the study showed that on average birds had to fly an additional 85 kilometers, while one male has completely increased its route by 250 kilometers.

The authors of the study also found that after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the birds flew for an average of 55 hours more, while the speed of their movement was lower than before. According to Russell, during migration, 90% stopped relaxing in Ukraine, but after the start of the war, only 32% of birds drew it up, and some refused to rest. The results indicate that the largest deviations from the route were observed where the front line passes.

At the same time, Russell notes that the degree of deviation of the eagles from the route was different. For example, the eagle, nicknamed Borovets, continued the route through Kiev, despite intense pain. At the same time, the eagle, nicknamed Denis, changed the route, rejecting a kilometer from explosions and fighting on the approaches to the capital. Scientists suggest that the decision to change the route was probably made on the move in response to sporadic events.

The authors of the study fear that changing the migration routes of birds in response to the war in Ukraine can affect the reproduction of large eagles. Scientists believe that the eagle will need more time to recover after a long flight, which affects the survival of cubs, as prey may be less accessible when the chicks are hatched from eggs. According to Dr.