Many of Europe’s migratory birds have changed anatomically; some just can’t adapt It takes the dexterity of a lacemaker to remove the tiny bird caught in nets strung between pine trees on Poland’s Baltic coast, a veritable paradise for dozens of migratory species. Polish ornithologist Jaroslaw Nowakowski delicately unravels the Goldcrest, among Europe’s smallest bird species, placing it inside a muslin bag before moving it to a make-shift laboratory in a tent for measuring and tagging with rings. The hulking professor says studies by the University of Gdansk over the last 55 years show a disturbing trend in the wings of certain species. “Pointed wings better adapted to travelling long distances are giving way to more rounded ones that work better on shorter trips,” Nowakowski said, blaming “global warming, urbanisation and deforestation” for the change. “Thanks to our extensive records, we have solid proof of the change and have raised the alarm, but generally to no avail. “Climate change is nothing new, but today humans are triggering very rapid changes and certain species aren’t able to adapt – that’s the greatest risk.” Migratory birds face a myriad of other man-made threats. Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, end up on dinner plates around the Mediterranean. At the crossroads The colourful Goldcrest that Nowakowski has just removed from the net is tiny, yet mighty. Weighing in at just 4.5 grams, it can easily fly cross the Baltic. “It can weigh up to six grammes, but then we’d say it’s a bit obese,” he chuckles. After weighing it and measuring its wings and tail, Nowakowski fastens a numbered ring around one of the legs of a Goldcrest which will help track its winter migration south or west. Fifteen volunteers including pensioners, engineers and bank employees help Nowakowski and fellow ornithologist Michal Redlisiak check 50 nets for new birds around the clock. Any delay in removing them could prove fatal. Volunteers on the night shift wear head-lamps as they wander the forests like ghosts checking the nets for freshly snared birds. “Some days our nets catch just 30 birds, while on others there are 1,000 to 2,000. We don’t really sleep much. Without the volunteers, our research would be impossible,” says Nowakowski. Ornithologists have been studying birds annually on Poland’s Vistula Spit using the same methods and measurements for the last 55 years, creating an unparallelled treasure trove of data. “This is how we managed to create the world’s largest and most comprehensive continuous data base of measurements,” he said. At 96 kilometres long and two kilometres wide, the spit located on Poland’s Baltic sea coast just east of Gdansk is considered one of the world’s most important habitats for migratory birds, alongside Gibraltar and the Bosphorus strait. — AFP