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The Link Between Whales, Seabirds, and a Tiny Fish
Top ocean predators rely on a fish that's vulnerable to climate change
© NOAA/SBNMS
In shallow waters off the coast of Massachusetts, ocean predators come from far and wide to hunt. Humpback whales join Great Shearwaters and many other seabirds in pursuing sand lance, a tiny fish that these top predators rely on for sustenance. But sand lance are vulnerable to climate change — putting the rest of the ecosystem, including seabirds, at risk.
BirdNote®
The Link Between Whales, Seabirds, and a Tiny Fish
Written by Conor Gearin
This is BirdNote.
[Breaking waves and far-off thundering surf]
In shallow waters off the coast of Massachusetts, ocean predators come from far and wide to hunt. Humpback whales break the surface as they close their jaws around a school of fish.
[Big splash]
And thousands of seabirds dive in the water or skim the surface for easy prey. Great Shearwaters glide with their wings held out stiffly just over the waves until they spot their shimmering targets.
[Great Shearwater calls]
[Small splash]
These top predators are all here thanks to tiny fish called sand lance. They bury themselves in the sand at night for protection, emerging during the day to feed in huge numbers. That’s when shearwaters dive for them and humpback whales gulp them down.
But sand lance are vulnerable to climate change. They have their offspring in the winter, so rising temperatures could make it harder for their young to develop successfully. That puts the rest of the ecosystem, including seabirds, at risk.
Biologists are exploring the link between shearwaters and their tiny prey by tracking the birds’ movements around Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Learn more on our website, BirdNote dot org. I’m Ariana Remmel.
This episode is dedicated to Bob Goodale, whose lifelong love for birds and nature continues to inspire.
###
Senior Producer: John Kessler
Producer: Mark Bramhill
Managing Editor: Jazzi Johnson
Managing Producer: Conor Gearin
Content Director: Jonese Franklin
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Great Shearwater ML530837871 recorded by Nathaniel Sharp.
Quiet Planet QP01 0027 Surf distant and QP05 Surf rock small recorded by Gordon Hempton.
Splash recorded by Rocktopus on Freesound.org.
BirdNote’s theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
© 2024 BirdNote May 2024
Narrator: Ariana Remmel
ID# GRSH-01-2024-05-14 GRSH-01
Reference:
https://www.usgs.gov/programs/cmhrp/news/quintessential-forage-fish-und…
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/faf.12445
https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdfdirect/10.1111/csp2.274
Ariana Remmel
Narrator