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Comment by chmod775 | Hacker News Reader

On one hand that sucks.

On the other hand, given their alleged response to disturbances, how aren't these birds extinct yet?

This makes me somewhat skeptical of this story.

> Michael H. Horn, a professor emeritus of biology at California State University, Fullerton, said that although the loss of 1,500 eggs might not threaten the long-term health of the elegant tern, which has a worldwide population of about 100,000 to 150,000, the drone crash was still troubling.

[0] https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/04/us/elegant-tern-eggs-dron...

Many bird species have low survival rates for their young but the species survives because each adult lays a large number of eggs in its lifetime.

With that attitude eventually there will just be cockroaches, rats and humans.

not even humans. what humans don't understand is that when you protect ecosystems, i.e. the planet you protect your own species. We are part of a biological "balance" a change creates risks for us.

Does anyone know how these birds react to thunderstorms?

Probably better than a huge lump of vibrating plastic plummeting out of the sky at them

It's most likely that the drone that crashed was similar in size to the type of bird that was spooked (Mavic Mini to Mavic Pro range; maybe a Phantom at most). Anyone flying a larger drone (Inspire and up) would have a serious license and familiarity with permits, therefore unlikely to be called "illegal".

I'm guessing it either fell after colliding with a bird or was flying low enough with sensors off and clipped the ground.

Wild animals either shelter from thunderstorm, or they learn from each other differet behaviours (like making herd close-knit) to pull through.

Thunderstorms are likely rare in this location. Most of coastal California only experiences such storms less than once a year, depending on when they begin nesting any rain at all may not be common, as typically they is little rain from April to October.

Thunderstorms have been happening with some predictability since before birds even evolved. A buzzing, hovering, and erratically moving clanking mechanical thing is extremely novel.

Which of those two would the birds have a genetically and socially built-in way to cope and survive through?

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