Seabirds are being eyed unusually far north in Panama, South America, as El Niño is heavily disrupting their food supply. These birds, including blue-footed boobies such as the one pictured below, are normally found in the waters off Peru and Chile, which are cold and rich in nutrients, but now they're flocking to Panama Bay. The reason? According to Reuters, warmer water pushed prey such as anchovies and sardines away from their usual feeding areas.
Scientists observing this move see the arrivals as an early sign of stress in the marine food chain in the region. Birdwatchers began reporting unusual numbers last June already, weeks before officials warned of a strong El Niño, with researchers saying the birds are not migrating by choice, but instead being forced to travel because of food shortages.
Now looking at the bigger picture, a wider concern is how El Niño is irremediably reshaping ocean conditions, as warmer surface waters can push nutrient-rich cold water deeper, reducing marine productivity. Panama is already seeing unusually hot and dry conditions that could last into next year.
