In the autumn the monarch butterfly flies from Canada to Mexico, which is a distance of approximately 3,200 kilometres (2,000 miles).
Smog casts a pall over sex life of birds
Smog casts a pall over sex life of birds Finnish researchers say that air pollution can
cause the plumage of male great tit birds to fade, which makes it
more difficult for them to breed. Bright plumage is one of the ways
that male tits attract a mate. Great tits obtain their brilliant
plumage colour from eating caterpillars. Air pollution caused by
smelting plants located in Harjavalta, Finland, has caused the
caterpillar population to decline in areas near the plants.
Caterpillar population levels rise the further away they are from
the plant, and great tits in these areas still sport bright
plumage. This study is the first to show a link between air
pollution and the successful breeding of birds. 7 NOVEMBER 1998, P. 12
Cool Articles
