Allowing air currents to do the work of lifting them makes frigatebirds' flight hugely efficient. But scientists are worried about how climate change might affect frigate birds' flight; shifting weather patterns could disrupt the flight techniques that frigatebirds spend so long learning. (Aurelien Prudor/Henri Weimerskirch CEBC CNRS)Europeans named the birds "frigate" for their resemblance to the swift warships. Warming oceans will likely become less productive, and the infrequent appearances of food that frigatebirds depend on may disappear. "But the prey are very patchy ... it takes days and days to encounter one opportunity.

Source: Washington Post June 30, 2016 18:04 UTC