Scientists have examined a mound of 2,200-year-old Andean condor guano to learn more about these huge flying birds' diet and habitat changes over time.
2,200-year-old Bird Guano Pile
Live Science reports that the massive bird guano pile has a rough diameter of 3 meters. To study it, the scientists carved it into a pie shape and took a 10-inch-deep slice of poop.
The BBC adds that Andean condor poop is not the same as that of pigeons. The poop of condors is referred to as guano, which is a special poop type that comes from some seabirds, such as bats and cormorants, and land birds, such as condors.
What makes guano valuable is that it can be used for fertilizing. It also solidifies into a white hardened substance. The BBC also adds that there are entire islands that mostly comprise guano.
Because of the said guano's ideal location within the grotto in Northern Patagonia, the mound of poop was protected from both rain and wind, which enabled it to stay firm and preserved even after thousands of years had passed. This was further detailed in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, where the study was published.
Matthew Duda, the study's lead author and a biology graduate student from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, explains that by examining various layers of the poop pile, the researchers can take a look into the past. They also performed carbon dating on the pile to know how old the nest is. Findings revealed that the nest was more than 2,000 years old.
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Andean Condor History and Adaptability
As BBC reports, by analyzing the poop, specialists could infer how long Andean condors have nested in the area and how their diets have altered over time. It also revealed that there was a slowing of nesting when volcanic activity in the area increased.
Duda notes that condors are scavengers and that, at one point, they would soar over shores and consume whale and native species carcasses. However, with the introduction of livestock in South America, the diets of these birds also ended up changing. Duda adds that they observed a whole shift in terms of diet.
However, this shift also indicates that these creatures are consuming more lead. Duda attributes this to lead that is being shot to eradicate vermin, which condors would consume. Such toxic materials were then excreted by these birds.
Duda adds that lead concentrations are now remarkably higher compared to before, which is quite concerning given that Andean condors are on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Live Science adds that there are only roughly 6,700 adult Andean condors lurking in the wild.
Aside from this, the scientists also observed that, for a period of 1,000 years, condors left the site behind. This resulted in a drop in the growth of guano. The researchers think that the creatures may have migrated due to heightened volcanic activity, as they were able to gauge sulfur and sodium increases, which are both linked to volcanic activity.
The specialists are now planning to look into other deposits across the region to know the baseline conditions for such areas and to eventually apply such findings to other bird species that are threatened. The study authors note that in order to implement effective conservation endeavors, there is a dire need to extensively protect roosting and nesting areas.
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