Macquarie University/The Lighthouse
The fatal impact of heatwaves on the eggs of one of Australia’s most abundant birds species has raised the alarm for Macquarie University researchers.
In a remote area of north-western NSW, scientists have been studying the local population of zebra finches – one of the most widespread and abundant birds in Australia – for more than 16 years.
Danger zone: Zebra finches are abundant, and in an average year 80 per cent of chicks survive … but not during heatwave, the researchers found.
In the summer of 2017, they recorded a catastrophic event. A heatwave with temperatures over 40 degrees for several days baked all the embryos in their eggs causing complete reproductive failure for this remarkably resilient bird.