Hurricanes represent one of the most powerful natural forces on Earth, posing a threat to all wildlife in their path. For birds, these massive storm systems challenge the mechanics of flight and survival, forcing a rapid, complex behavioral response. Avian species have evolved remarkable strategies to anticipate and endure these catastrophic weather events. What birds do during a hurricane reveals a sophisticated interplay between their senses and species-specific survival tactics, ranging from immediate evacuation to riding out the storm’s core.
Sensing the Threat and Pre-Storm Behavior
Birds possess sensory mechanisms that allow them to detect a hurricane’s approach long before humans can see the clouds gather. The primary detection method involves sensing the rapid drop in barometric pressure that precedes a major storm system. This change is registered by specialized organs in the bird’s inner ear, such as the paratympanic organ, which acts like an internal barometer sensitive to atmospheric shifts. Another significant cue is infrasound, which consists of low-frequency sound waves below the range of human hearing. Hurricanes generate massive amounts of infrasound that can travel thousands of kilometers. Studies show that small songbirds, like the golden-winged warbler, can detect this infrasound from over 900 kilometers away, prompting evacuation days in advance of the storm’s arrival.
This early warning triggers immediate, life-saving behaviors. Birds frantically increase their feeding activity to build up fat reserves, providing the fuel necessary for long-distance flight or to sustain them while sheltering without access to food. Migratory species, such as the Veery thrush, have been observed to alter their nesting schedules, breeding earlier to begin their southward migration and avoid the peak of hurricane activity.
Diverse Survival Tactics During the Peak
The survival strategy a bird employs during a hurricane depends heavily on its species and whether it is land-dwelling or pelagic (ocean-going). Land birds cannot outfly the storm and focus on finding the most secure shelter possible. They seek out dense, low-lying cover, such as thickets, ground vegetation, or deep tree cavities and hollows.
Small passerines often utilize their strong, clamping back toe to tightly grip branches or cling to the protected side of tree trunks to minimize exposure to wind shear. Once sheltered, many land birds enter a state of reduced activity, conserving energy stores to endure the high winds and heavy rainfall. This reduced metabolism is a temporary measure to survive the duration of the storm when foraging is impossible.
In contrast, some oceanic and strong-flying migratory birds employ a unique aerial strategy. Species like the Streaked Shearwater have been tracked flying directly toward and into the hurricane’s eye, the relatively calm center of the storm. This counterintuitive maneuver is a calculated risk, as the eye has lower wind speeds and higher pressure than the surrounding eyewall. By tracking the eye, these birds avoid being swept onto land, where they would be vulnerable to crashing or being grounded.
Post-Hurricane Fallout and Recovery
Even after the storm passes, the immediate aftermath presents a new set of dangers for avian survivors. One documented consequence is a displacement event, often referred to as “fallout.” Birds that become entrained, or trapped, in the hurricane’s spiraling winds are often carried hundreds or thousands of kilometers off course. This displacement is why coastal species like Brown Pelicans or Magnificent Frigatebirds are sometimes sighted far inland following a major storm.
Many displaced birds, particularly exhausted pelagic species, are unable to find correct freshwater food sources or navigate unfamiliar terrain to return home. Survivors also face immediate threats of exhaustion, dehydration, and starvation. Hurricane-force winds strip foliage and fruit, while storm surges wash away insect populations and contaminate freshwater sources with salt spray. The destruction of habitat and nesting sites represents a major setback, as entire nesting colonies can be wiped out by flooding or wind damage, leading to widespread breeding failure.