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Birds sensed tornadoes coming one day ahead

The study observed the migratory patterns of golden-winged warblers when they noticed the birds evacuated their nesting site a day before an outbreak of tornadoes in April 2014.

By Aileen Graef

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- A study from the journal Current Biology found birds can possibly sense natural disasters like tornadoes before they happen, giving them time to flee.

The study observed the migratory patterns of golden-winged warblers when they noticed the birds evacuated their nesting site a day before an outbreak of tornadoes in April 2014.

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The tiny songbirds came back from their winter migration to Colombia with their geolocators to Tennesee and then just before the storms, took off from their nests, Dr. Henry Streby, from the University of California, Berkeley told the BBC.

"The fact that they came back with the geolocators was supposed to be the great success of this season. Then this happened!" he said.

"We know that birds can alter their route to avoid things during regular migration," said Streby. "But it hadn't been shown until our study that they would leave once the migration is over, and they'd established their breeding territory, to escape severe weather."

The study said the birds likely get notified of the storm by infrasound -- sounds that cannot be heard by the human ear -- and are given enough time to leave for safety. They likely heard the deep rumble a tornado produces people can't hear.

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Streby said they are likely the only species that can do this. He added this study is only the precursor to a larger study.

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