NASA Satellites Feed, Provide Wetlands For Migrating Birds

NASA used their satellites as part of the agency's effort to feed the birds on migrating season. The bird migration is a natural activity that happens every season based on the birds' instinct. However, because of environmental changes, some of the birds have difficulty surviving the long migration process, which sometimes cause some of them to die due to starvation.

Using NASA's satellite, with the help of some partners, wetlands are now being built for the shorebirds. With the satellite database, the agency will be able to predict the location of the ponds for the entire year. This technology can also help the farmers when they need to flood those unused rice fields where food and rest can be provided along the Pacific for migrating shorebirds during spring.  

NASA can also match the amount of birds and the water availability. From such data, the farmers could determine the specific wetlands the birds are predicted to fly by or when the migrations is expected to happen. According to the Goddard Media Studio, the program called Bird Returns, with the help of The Nature Conservancy, has built more than 20,000 acres in California for temporary wetlands during the past two years and will most likely help hundreds of migrating birds, Nature World News reported.

Although the Bird Returns program was introduced in 2015, NASA only gives the information and data. In order for the program to succeed, the farmers will have to be used. They are needed to flood the unused rice fields or wetlands for the birds to feed on and rest. Lead scientist Mark Reynolds said that the farmers' involvement has contributed to the program's success, and that they were able to place a habitat at a minimum cost to acquire the land.

NASA's technology has been a great help to conservation groups in their preparation for the migrating season. With the agency's satellites, they can give food and temporary resting place to the migrating birds, according to SVS.