Hurricanes churn with unrelenting power, reshaping coastlines and leaving ecosystems in chaos. While most creatures would flee from the growing devastation, one little seabird does the unthinkable—it chases them.
The Desertas petrel, or Pterodroma deserta, is a rare oceanic seabird whose extraordinary survival strategy includes flying toward hurricanes or cyclones. For this enigmatic bird, storms aren’t a threat to evade but a ticket to their next meal.
The Desertas Petrel Will Go To Any Lengths For Food—Even 7,500 Miles
Found only on Bugio Island, part of the Desertas Archipelago off the coast of Madeira, the Desertas petrel is also one of the rarest seabirds in the world. With fewer than 200 known breeding pairs, these crow-sized birds are a marvel of resilience.
The steep cliffs of Bugio, accessible only to the hardiest climbers, serve as a natural fortress, shielding them from predators and human interference. Yet, this isolation also underscores the fragility of their population, reliant on this singular, remote location for survival.
Physically, the Desertas petrel is a marvel of endurance and design. Its streamlined body, long tapered wings and lightweight frame are perfectly engineered for life at sea, allowing it to glide over oceanic expanses with unmatched efficiency. These adaptations make the bird a long-distance champion.
During their breeding season, Desertas petrels routinely embark on foraging trips that span up to 12,000 kilometers, traversing the Atlantic in pursuit of small fish, squid and crustaceans. Yet, these impressive journeys only scratch the surface of their full capabilities.
Looking For A Meal In The Eye Of The Storm
While most seabirds avoid cyclones, the Desertas petrel does the opposite. Research conducted by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) uncovered this surprising behavior by tracking this bird over several years.
The findings left scientists astonished.
Nearly one-third of the tracked petrels actively flew toward cyclones, sometimes following them for days and covering thousands of kilometers. The data revealed that Desertas petrels leverage the turbulent aftermath of storms to their advantage.
In the wake of a cyclone, surface water temperatures plummet, and nutrient-rich deeper layers are churned upward. This ocean mixing sparks a bloom of phytoplankton, attracting the petrels’ prey to shallower waters where they can be easily caught. Rather than risking injury by battling gale-force winds, the birds cleverly navigate along the storm’s fringes, using the altered ocean conditions to grab lunch.
The birds’ daring strategy is supported by their ability to read environmental cues. Scientists suggest that Desertas petrels may use infrasound—low-frequency sounds generated by cyclonic winds and waves—to locate storms from hundreds of kilometers away. Once they’ve pinpointed a cyclone, the birds’ movements reveal a consistent pattern: they fly toward the storm, slow their ground speed to conserve energy and linger in the wake for extended feeding sessions.
The Desertas Petrel Has Evolved To Thrive In Turbulence
These birds are unparalleled in their capacity for long-distance travel. Their specialized physiology enables them to exploit wind currents and oceanic conditions to an extraordinary degree.
The Desertas petrels align their movements with tailwinds at precise angles, which allows them to maximize travel efficiency, according to a January 2020 study published in The Royal Society. This aerodynamic mastery allows them to brave the high seas with minimal exertion, even in the face of hurricane-force winds and towering waves.
But why chase cyclones in the first place?
The answer lies in their prey. Small fish, squid and crustaceans typically inhabit depths greater than 600 feet, well beyond the reach of surface-feeding birds. However, the ocean mixing caused by cyclones—with winds up to 100 kilometers per hour and waves reaching eight meters high—brings these deep-dwelling creatures closer to the surface.
For the Desertas petrel, the storm’s turbulence transforms an otherwise inaccessible meal into an easy catch.
Astonishingly, none of the tracked petrels sustained injuries or deserted their nests during the study, highlighting their resilience. By reducing time spent in flight during intense conditions, the birds minimize the risk of wing fatigue or damage.
The Desertas petrel’s cyclone-chasing behavior challenges our perceptions of storms as purely destructive forces. While these weather events wreak havoc on land, they also create new opportunities in the vastness of the ocean. For the petrels, cyclones are not merely obstacles to endure but catalysts for survival and success.
The Desertas petrel’s resilience exemplifies nature’s ability to preserve life even in the midst of destruction. How does their adaptation make you feel about the diversity of our natural world? Take a 2-minute test to see where you stand on the Connectedness to Nature Scale.
