Hurricane Milton has swept through Florida, leaving a trail of destruction in its path. Not only have human lives been affected, but the impact of the storm has also been felt by the local wildlife.
The Category 3 hurricane wreaked havoc with wind gusts reaching speeds of 100 mph, leaving 3 million people in the state without power. The devastating effects of the storm are already evident, as witnessed by the collapse of a massive crane on the Tampa Bay Times building in St. Petersburg.
Residents rushed to secure their homes by boarding up before the storm hit, with state leaders strongly encouraging people to evacuate.
During the storm, it became evident that some individuals had to take those warnings seriously, particularly as wild animals began displaying strange behavior. A user named @Eviljohna shared videos on social media depicting cranes wandering through a residential neighborhood.
The residents expressed their conviction to evacuate, stating, “This would surely convince anyone to leave! It’s as if the cranes themselves are going door-to-door, alerting the communities.”
A mesmerizing video captures the moment a group of cranes gracefully glide through the urban landscape, filling the air with their unique and haunting bird calls. The high-pitched, clicking sound reverberates through the otherwise hushed and sparsely populated city.
A commenter described the sounds as “apocalyptic.” Another person expressed concern, stating, “It is my hope that these cranes will find safer shelter before the hurricane arrives.”
According to Dr. Robert Ledgerer, an ornithologist and emeritus Professor of Biological Sciences at California State University, birds are primarily influenced by barometric pressure. This is because it is more challenging for them to fly in low-pressure systems compared to high-pressure systems.
When the air pressure is high, it becomes denser, providing birds with a solid surface to push against using their wings. On the other hand, in low-pressure systems, there are fewer air molecules to exert pressure, which means that flying requires more effort and energy.
Observing bird nesting behavior has been found to be a potential indicator of hurricane severity, according to several studies. In one such study, a researcher noted that the veery, a small bird native to North America, tends to commence its migration season earlier in years when the hurricane season is expected to be particularly severe. This suggests a possible correlation between bird behavior and the intensity of hurricanes.
