Feathering the Storm What do birds do during a hurricane? Photo
by Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images. As Hurricane Sandy whips the
East Coast, people are hunkering down indoors, seeking shelter
from the wind and rain. Occasionally they may peek out from
their fortresses to see birds cartwheeling by like scraps of
confetti. How do birds stay safe during powerful storms? By
getting out of dodge, going with the flow, or clinging on for
dear life. Because birds are so attuned to shifts in barometric
pressure, they can often sense ahead of time when a storm is
brewing. That advance warning leaves them with several options.
Some try to outpace the hurricane, coasting ahead on the
propulsion of the storm’s outermost winds. Others, especially
pelagic or ocean-faring fowl, may take refuge in the calm eye of
the weather system, entering at the edge of its spiral and
working their way inward. The problem with this strategy is that
the birds often get trapped in the squall’s peaceful center
until the entire maelstrom dissipat