Image credit: Instagram account unusual_rostov
GOMEL, 17 February (BelTA) - Could a penguin end up in our latitudes? We addressed this question to senior lecturer at the Biology Department of Francysk Skaryna Gomel State University Irina Kurachenko, BelTA has learned.
Over the past 24 hours, a video allegedly filmed not far from the Gomel river port went viral on social media and city community accounts. A couple strolling along the Sozh River spotted a bird on the ice that is unusual for these parts. The mobile phone camera captured “clearly some kind of penguin-like bird”, as the video's authors called it. Locals further commented on the topic on social media offering options ranging from penguins to cormorants.
The experienced biologist stated unequivocally: there are no penguins in our latitudes. “Firstly, they don’t fly, so they simply couldn't reach us by air transit. Secondly, we don’t have any straits, so they couldn’t get here on their own by water either. Among the more realistic versions is that someone bought an exotic bird for themselves, but this is also unlikely,” Irina Kurachenko noted with a smile, emphasizing that the bird that became popular on the internet does bear a certain, albeit small, resemblance to a penguin.
According to the biologist, it is not a cormorant either. “In our parts, you can encounter the pygmy cormorant but this one is completely dark with brown markings. It is completely different, right down to the shape of its head,” she explained.
However, it was enough for the experienced specialist to take a slightly closer look at the video to determine its “passport data” and “residence permit”. “In all likelihood, this is a loon, one of our Red Data Book birds. Either it’s a black-throated or a red-throated one. This one has a black back with white markings, so it's a black-throated loon. It's a native bird to our Polesie region, although it’s quite rare,” Irina Kurachenko explained.
Still the loon presents a small puzzle, even for specialists. For Belarus, this is a fairly rare species of migratory bird, which mainly nests in the northern part of the country. “By nature, they are colonial birds, but during seasonal migrations, they can also winter singly. Outside the nesting season, individual specimens of the black-throated loon can be found on water bodies within the administrative boundaries of cities. They appear at their nesting sites in the second half of April, after the water bodies get free of ice,” the biologist said.
Over the past 24 hours, a video allegedly filmed not far from the Gomel river port went viral on social media and city community accounts. A couple strolling along the Sozh River spotted a bird on the ice that is unusual for these parts. The mobile phone camera captured “clearly some kind of penguin-like bird”, as the video's authors called it. Locals further commented on the topic on social media offering options ranging from penguins to cormorants.
The experienced biologist stated unequivocally: there are no penguins in our latitudes. “Firstly, they don’t fly, so they simply couldn't reach us by air transit. Secondly, we don’t have any straits, so they couldn’t get here on their own by water either. Among the more realistic versions is that someone bought an exotic bird for themselves, but this is also unlikely,” Irina Kurachenko noted with a smile, emphasizing that the bird that became popular on the internet does bear a certain, albeit small, resemblance to a penguin.
According to the biologist, it is not a cormorant either. “In our parts, you can encounter the pygmy cormorant but this one is completely dark with brown markings. It is completely different, right down to the shape of its head,” she explained.
However, it was enough for the experienced specialist to take a slightly closer look at the video to determine its “passport data” and “residence permit”. “In all likelihood, this is a loon, one of our Red Data Book birds. Either it’s a black-throated or a red-throated one. This one has a black back with white markings, so it's a black-throated loon. It's a native bird to our Polesie region, although it’s quite rare,” Irina Kurachenko explained.
Still the loon presents a small puzzle, even for specialists. For Belarus, this is a fairly rare species of migratory bird, which mainly nests in the northern part of the country. “By nature, they are colonial birds, but during seasonal migrations, they can also winter singly. Outside the nesting season, individual specimens of the black-throated loon can be found on water bodies within the administrative boundaries of cities. They appear at their nesting sites in the second half of April, after the water bodies get free of ice,” the biologist said.
It turned out that the original video was filmed in the Russian city of Rostov. With plenty of snow the location resembled the area outside Gomel as much as possible. This is why the footage was mixed. However, it would be a good idea for Belarusians to brush up on biology and geography, too.
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