For the first time, scientists have used data from weather radar not to track storms, but to count birds as they travel across Australian skies.
For the first time, scientists have used data from weather radar not to track storms, but to count birds as they travel across Australian skies.
The study, led by University of Queensland PhD candidate Xu Shi, used 16 years of radar weather data from the Bureau of Meteorology to monitor bird migration patterns from Tasmania to northern Queensland.
“We were very excited to discover millions of birds migrating in Australia each year, escaping cold southern winters by moving up the east coast,” Mr Shi said.
“Birdwatchers have known for a long time that some Australian birds migrate, but never before have we been able to study the phenomenon so clearly.
Read more at University of Queensland
Image: The silvereye is a partial migrant, with some individuals migrating while others stay in place. (Credit: Ah Xin)
