Thursday 12 November 2009

Confused birds mistake road for water

By New Zealand correspondent Kerri Ritchie
Posted Thu Nov 12, 2009

Drivers on New Zealand's south island are having to dodge birds which have begun crash-landing on roads.

Hutton's shearwaters spend half of the year in Tasmania, then fly to New Zealand to lay their eggs.

On the Kaikoura coast, near Christchurch, the sea birds are mistaking roads for flat expanses of water.

Park Ranger Mike Morrissey says large numbers are crash landing on the bitumen.

"It varies a lot, we've had up to 50 odd in one night," he said.

He says the birds are being confused by bright lights.

"Round town they're hitting buildings and the hard surfaces."

The ranger says luckily, most of the birds have not been hurt, just stunned.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/12/2740625.htm

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