Sea birds can detect fishing boats 13 miles away
Sea birds such as gannets and seagulls can detect fishing boats up to 13 miles away, a study has found.
Researchers made the discovery after tracking the movements of 74 individual gannets from six colonies around the British Isles.
They found that fishing boats created a "halo of influence" across 13.6 miles of sea that attracted the birds. Words and photo: PA.
What is more, the gannets seemed to be able to tell what the boats were doing. They were less likely to be drawn to vessels that were not actively engaged in fishing.
Lead scientist Dr Thomas Bodey, from the University of Exeter, said: "Our work suggests each fishing vessel has a substantial footprint, with the behaviour of seabirds affected within a 22 kilometre (13.6 miles) circle surrounding it, much larger than we expected."
Co-author Dr Mark Jessopp, from University College Cork in the Irish Republic, said: "The fact that birds responded differently to boats depending on whether they were fishing or not, and the type of gear they were carrying, indicates how finely attuned these animals are to the opportunities humans can provide."
The research is published in the journal Current Biology.
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