World's smallest satellite tags to track rare Kittlitz's Murrelet seabirds

Washington, September 6 (ANI): Scientists have attached the world's smallest satellite tags to the members of the rare and rapidly declining Kittlitz's Murrelet seabirds, in order to track them.

Most of these birds are found in remote, glaciated regions of Alaska, but their wintering grounds have long been unknown.

Thanks to tiny solar-powered satellites tags that can be attached to small seabirds, researchers from the USGS (US Geological Survey) and US Fish and Wildlife Service can now study their nesting, foraging and migration ecology.

This new technology is even capable of operating successfully in the most extreme subarctic marine environment.

Data collected from these tags may help inform conservation strategies for this rare species.

Scientists report that all tags are functioning and they expect to see birds migrate soon to their wintering grounds. (ANI)