Plumed egret - Observation by Adam Jackson · no rights reserved
Plumed egret - Observation by Adam Jackson · no rights reserved

This Aussie bird flew from Australia to Papua New Guinea in 38h without stopping

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Peer-reviewed: This work was reviewed and scrutinised by relevant independent experts.

Australian scientists have, for the first time, used GPS to track 18 young egrets as they leave nesting sites, and they found that they can travel vast distances, with one plumed egret flying from Australia to Papua New Guinea in 38 hours without stopping. The researchers say that as far as they are aware, this is the first GPS-tracked record of precise movement between Australia and New Guinea for an egret or any other large waterbird that nests in large groups. The researchers tracked birds from two species, the great egret and the plumed egret, and found that plumed egrets all headed north, while great egrets headed in all directions, including south. The researchers say identifying their movement timing, distances, and stopover sites is useful for making decisions about the location and timing of management resource allocations.

Journal/conference: Pacific Conservation Biology

Research: Paper

Organisation/s: CSIRO

Funder: The original research that formed the basis of this article was co-funded by the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder (CEWH) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) through the CEWH Monitoring, Evaluation and Research project (2019–2025), administered by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and its precursors.

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