Lesson 2: Tracking Albatross Migrations
Lesson 2 Presentation Content
Engage
– Navigating the Ocean
Explore
– Plotting Albatross Locations
Explain
– Analyzing Albatross Movements
Elaborate – Satellite Tracking
Evaluate
– Other Seabird Movements
Engage
Navigating the Ocean
A crucial skill for ocean exploration is to map your
location, often with no landmarks.
Painting by Herb Kawainui Kane
Skilled sailors are able to navigate using the stars,
sun, ocean conditions (wind, waves), and other
natural cues (such as seabirds and clouds).
Oceanographers navigate the ocean using a
variety of technological tools such as radar,
sonar, and satellite communication.
Satellites are important in the scientific
study of the oceans and marine life
Seabirds, especially albatross, spend most
of their lives at sea.
Where do they go?
The Hypothesis . . .
From many years of boat observations, scientists knew that
Hawaiian albatross visited the west coast of North America.
The first albatross ever tracked from Hawai‘i
confirmed this migration route
Do albatross from other Hawaiian Atolls
travel to the same places?
A great discovery!
Reminds us of a few critical aspects about science:
• Scientific knowledge is subject to change.
• Technology and human creativity aid science.
• Hypotheses not supported by data are just as
important as hypotheses that are… they both
advance our understanding.
How do we know?
• Scientists used satellite
tracking to follow the birds’
movements.
• A satellite tag was attached
to a few feathers with tape.
•The scientists can determine
the animals’locations after
they are released.
More details on this technology later...
Albatross Wearing a Transmitter
Explore
Plotting Albatross Locations
Now it’s your turn
Use coordinates
to track positions
of individual
albatross on a
map of the
Pacific Ocean.
Plot Albatross Routes from 3 Tagging Sites
Tagging Site: Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary
Tagging Site: Tern Island, National Wildlife Refuge
Tagging Site: Waters over Cordell Bank
A Quick Review - Latitude
• Measured in degrees
north or south
of the equator
(line of 0 °latitude).
• Lines of latitude run
parallel to the equator.
A Quick Review - Longitude
• Measured in degrees
east or west of the
Prime Meridian
(line of 0 °longitude).
• Lines of longitude
meet at the north
and the south poles.
Explain
Analyzing Albatross Movements
12 Albatross Mapped – by Tag ID
Elaborate
Satellite Tracking
Radio Tracking
Satellite Tracking
Graphic from The Albatross Project, Wake Forest University
Evaluate
Other Seabird Movements
The Pink-footed Shearwater
nests in Chile and migrates to ?
The Pink-footed
Shearwater raises
chicks on islands
off Chile. One
colony is on the
famous Robinson
Crusoe Island.
How far do these
birds migrate?
Use Agreement
This presentation was developed for Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary and Papahānaumokuākea Marine
National Monument by Meghan Marrero of Mercy College and Oikonos - Ecosystem Knowledge.
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Lesson 2 Presentation Content
Engage – Navigating the Ocean
Explain – Analyzing Albatross Movements
1. Navigation without Landmarks
2. Navigating by natural cues
3. Navigating by various technologies
4. Satellite Technology is Important to Ocean Science
5. Soaring Albatross
6. Observing Wildlife From a Boat
7. Map of First Albatross Tracks
8. Map of New Albatross Tracks
9. A Great Discovery
10. How Birds are Tracked
11. Albatross with a Transmitter
1. 6 Maps of Individual Albatross Plotted by the
Students
2. Map comparing the tracks of an Albatross migrating
vs. feeding a chick
3. All 12 tracks in Student Handout
Elaborate – Satellite Tagging
1. Radio Tracking
2. Satellite Tagging
Evaluate – Other Seabird Movements
Explore – Plotting Albatross Locations
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Map of One Albatross – Your Turn to Plot
3 Tagging Sites on the Blank Student Map
Kure Atoll site
Tern Island site
Cordell Bank site
Latitude Illustration
Longitude Illustration
1. Pink-footed Shearwater
2. Breeding Colony in Chile