Seabirds, teachers of the oceans

Climate ChangeSeabirds, teachers of the oceansResearch showing increased stress in seabirds as they struggle to find food is also an indicator of oceanic changes across hemispheresOpinion: To understand seabirds allows us to better understand the oceans, and, I’d argue, ourselves. As top predators, seabirds (particularly the chicks) represent a summation of all the interlinked processes occurring out at sea. READ MORE:* For Tītī sake, turn off the lights* Kaikōura’s seabirds clobbered by climate change* The secrets of seabird feathers: a new indicator of climate change? And this is a problem, as 90 percent of our seabirds face some form of threat, with some at critically low numbers. It became apparent that a simple protein such as haemoglobin of seabirds can record oceanic changes across hemispheres.