Un autillo desorientado que emprendió un viaje suicida al Círculo Polar Ártico se recupera en el Centro de Fauna de El Valle (Murcia, ), después de que una sociedad científica noruega lo enviara de vuelta en avión desde Oslo.
El ave que le mira fijamente desde la fotografía, está viva de milagro. Y es que ni Rompetechos podría apuntarse el despiste que le llevó, durante su viaje de migración invernal, no a sino hasta la ciudad noruega de Tromsø. Cómo llegó esta pequeña rapaz nocturna hasta los casi 70 grados de latitud norte es un misterio, y más aún que no muriera en el largo viaje.
El pájaro fue encontrado hace unas semanas, muy debilitado y acosado por cornejas en una calle de la capital del Círculo Polar Ártico. Después de pasar por las manos de Karl-Otto Jacobsen, del Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, el pájaro ha volado, esta vez en avión como un turista noruego, desde el frío norte hasta la soleada Murcia.
"La teoría más aceptable es que el autillo se despistase porque el verano entró muy tarde, también en otras latitudes de Europa. Una consecuencia más del cambio climático que afecta a la capacidad de orientación de las aves", señala el biólogo Mario León, investigador de la Universidad de Murcia encargado de recoger la singular valija en el aeropuerto de El Altet (Alicante). El autillo viajó desde Oslo, en una jaula situada en la zona de equipajes, con una pechuga de pollo desmigada y un poco de agua para aguantar el largo viaje de más de 2.500 kilómetros (más los 1.700 km que separan Tromsø de la capital noruega) a oscuras en la bodega del avión.
El autillo (Otus scops) es un ave corriente en la huerta de Murcia, e incluso en los jardines de la ciudad, donde los oídos más expertos identifican enseguida su canto: un silbido corto e intermitente, como un sónar, que emite cada tres segundos. De tamaño justo por encima de los 20 cm, es insectívoro casi al 100% (es un gran devorador de cucarachas), aunque tampoco hace ascos a pequeños roedores.
"Estamos comprobando cómo se habitúa y cómo le afecta el cambio de temperatura", explica Mario León, todavía sorprendido por el esfuerzo de sus colegas noruegos en poner a salvo al valiente lautillo, al que le ha dado tiempo en su corta vida –nació la primavera pasada– a volar casi hasta el Polo Norte, convertirse en protagonista de los medios de comunicación noruegos y a viajar luego en avión hasta Alicante –como un señor– para pasar el invierno en la Región.
A disoriented scops owl that undertook a suicide trip to the Arctic Circle, is recovering in the Wildlife Center “El Valle” in Murcia (Spain), after a Norwegian scientific society sent it back by plane from Oslo.
The bird looking you form the picture is miraculously alive. It got the wrong direction during its winter migration journey to Africa, and appeared in Tromsø (Norway). How did this small nocturnal bird of prey to almost 70 degrees north latitude is a mystery, and even more it do not die on the long journey.
The bird was found, some weeks ago, in a very weak state and harassed by crows in the streets of the capital of the Arctic Circle. Handed over to Karl-Otto Jacobsen, from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, the small bird has flown, this time in plane like a Norwegian tourist, from the cold North to its sunny Murcia country.
"The most likely theory is that the bird goes wrong because summer came late in Spain and other parts of Europe. This is another consequence of climate change affecting the targeting ability of the birds", says biologist Mario Leon, a researcher at the University of Murcia in charge of collecting the singular bag at the airport of El Altet (Alicante). The small owl travelled from Oslo, in a cage located in the baggage area, with a crumbled chicken breast and a little water to endure the long journey over 2,500 km (in addition to 1,700 km from Tromsø to Oslo) in the dark of the hold plane.
The scops owl (Otus scops) is a common bird in Murcia, even in the city gardens, where the expert ears can quickly identify its singing: a short and intermittent hiss, like sonar, which emits every three seconds. It measures just over 20 cm and is almost 100% insectivore (and a great devourer of cockroaches) although not averse to small rodents.
“We are now checking how it habituates, as well as how it is affected by the temperature change," explains Mario Leon, still amazed at the effort of their Norwegian colleagues to safeguard the brave bird, which in its short life (it was born this spring) has flown almost to the North Pole, has became protagonist of the Norwegian media, and has flown after back to Alicante, this time in plane, to spend the winter in the region.
The bird looking you form the picture is miraculously alive. It got the wrong direction during its winter migration journey to Africa, and appeared in Tromsø (Norway). How did this small nocturnal bird of prey to almost 70 degrees north latitude is a mystery, and even more it do not die on the long journey.
The bird was found, some weeks ago, in a very weak state and harassed by crows in the streets of the capital of the Arctic Circle. Handed over to Karl-Otto Jacobsen, from the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, the small bird has flown, this time in plane like a Norwegian tourist, from the cold North to its sunny Murcia country.
"The most likely theory is that the bird goes wrong because summer came late in Spain and other parts of Europe. This is another consequence of climate change affecting the targeting ability of the birds", says biologist Mario Leon, a researcher at the University of Murcia in charge of collecting the singular bag at the airport of El Altet (Alicante). The small owl travelled from Oslo, in a cage located in the baggage area, with a crumbled chicken breast and a little water to endure the long journey over 2,500 km (in addition to 1,700 km from Tromsø to Oslo) in the dark of the hold plane.
The scops owl (Otus scops) is a common bird in Murcia, even in the city gardens, where the expert ears can quickly identify its singing: a short and intermittent hiss, like sonar, which emits every three seconds. It measures just over 20 cm and is almost 100% insectivore (and a great devourer of cockroaches) although not averse to small rodents.
“We are now checking how it habituates, as well as how it is affected by the temperature change," explains Mario Leon, still amazed at the effort of their Norwegian colleagues to safeguard the brave bird, which in its short life (it was born this spring) has flown almost to the North Pole, has became protagonist of the Norwegian media, and has flown after back to Alicante, this time in plane, to spend the winter in the region.
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