In today's interview, we delve into the world of Ornithology with Paco Hortas, professor at Cádiz University and renowned bird expert, who shares with us his some of his insights and experiences in avian ecology, revealing a big passion for our feathered friends.
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| Paco with a ringed Spoonbill |
Nice to meet you, Paco! What exactly do you teach at Cádiz University?
I work at
the Biology Department, where I teach a whole array of different subjects:
about biology, animal biology, zoology, as well as a master's degree on wetland
restoration, for example. A
lot of theory to prepare students for their career, besides a practical part.
Do you know as much about flora as about fauna?
No, I wish,
but that would be absolutely impossible if you want to
go deeper into a subject on a scientific level. It would take much more than a lifetime to
learn everything. Moreover, science is continuously discovering new things.
Take taxonomy for instance, not only in the avian world. That way, things stay
interesting!
Where does your passion for birds come from?
I owe a lot
to my parents. When I was a little boy, whenever we had a free moment, we would
go to the countryside where they would let me explore. Not like today, where
children tend to be supervised all the time. I remember I used to go to a pine
tree forest in El Puerto de Santa Maria, near the La Tapa Saltpans where I did my doctoral thesis. Who would have thought I would end up working
with birds professionally? I was also a member of a group where we did a lot of
different things: we went to the lagoon, organized censuses and became very
interested in birds. As we didn’t have our own transport, we used our bikes or
had to rely on someone to drive us to those places. Sometimes I had to borrow a
telescope.
It became
very clear to me, at a very young age, that I wanted to make a career in something related
to biology. I’ve had to work hard to get where I am now, but I believe that one
should strive to realize their dream. I spent hundreds and hundreds of hours in
the field, observing birds. In my opinion that is the best way to learn: you
see how a bird moves, how it forages or flies.
People often think spending time outside, surrounded by animals and plants, is always fun, but they forget that it can be cold or windy or even rainy, but in those circumstances our work also has to be done. Nature is unpredictable, so often in order to obtain useful information you have to spend a lot of time. However, even in harsh conditions, I am always motivated in the field because nature is my passion. Outside of my job I also do a lot of things related to nature, simply because I like it.
Your favourite bird must be a wader.
Well, I started to specialize in wader birds at the beginning of my career, as hardly anyone was doing that, and also because it’s an intriguing group of birds, with their interesting behaviour and migration patterns, not to mention their beauty. We’re fortunate to have so many of them in the Bay of Cádiz. Take for instance the Dunlin, or the Curlew sandpiper or Avocet: stunning birds!
A flock of Avocets seen in the Bay of Cádiz
In 2011 my friend Javier Ruiz contacted me and we set up a project that continues today on the migration of the Spoonbill. We discovered where it migrated to Africa. Until then it was unknown where exactly that was. That spectacular bird has probably become my favourite.
The spectacular Spoonbill, one of Paco's favourites species
Can you share with us some memorable moments
that you witnessed out in the field?
I remember
the spectacular sight of a mixed flock of Spoonbills and Glossy Ibises. Or a
group of Bald Ibises that flew around in circles around an observation tower,
as if they were greeting us, before flying back inland. I also recall the day I
was observing some Avocet chicks when A Yellow-legged Gull snatched one right
in front of me and then swallowed it. Although apparently cruel, it was nothing
more than a quick reminder of the cycle of life.
Another memorable moment was the first time I observed a huge flock of Dunlins: I was astonished by their ability to fly together synchronously in such a big group. It’s a pity that some people don’t appreciate the sheer beauty of those phenomena.
After so many years there are plenty of observations that remain as an indelible memory.
Dunlin
Do you think people are becoming more
interested in nature?
What I see
is that when people go to the beach, they seem to be wanting more than just sun
and relaxation. On the one hand, I’d say there’s a positive evolution, where
people seem to have a growing interest, but on the other hand, other people are
getting even more disconnected from nature. Modern technology is one of the
causes, many people are obsessed with their mobile phones for example, but we
should try to use those modern means to our advantage. The distancing from
nature can also lead to misconceptions. Take for instance the issue with feral
cats. People may have a concern for animals, but don’t realize that cats belong
inside the houses because in the wild they provoke disasters, killing thousands
and thousands of birds and other vertebrates. Unfortunately, it’s very hard to
get through to those people, sometimes they just won’t listen.
What projects are you currently involved in?
There is
the Limes Platalea project that I mentioned before. Apart from that, I’m also
involved in the coordination of some projects in Cádiz led by the SEO, for example SACRE,
NOCTUA, SACIN or ATLAS. Currently I am also working on a project led by the Doñana Biological Station related to plastics, studying how mainly gulls and storks
are transferring plastics from waste dumps to the wetlands. These materials are
found in their droppings and in their nests and also in great numbers in the pellets.
The birds sometimes use plastics in the construction of their nests, but most
often they ingest it and then suffer from a disease called plasticosis. Studies
find that ingesting plastic directly affects the digestive system.
We see that nowadays waste dumps at least are being covered with sand on a daily basis. It still gives gulls the time to pick up litter, but to a lesser extent. It’s not such a huge improvement, but little by little, things are ameliorating. Of course, the biggest difference can be made in people’s homes by recycling and separating waste. It’s incredible what people throw away.
Examinations of pellets have
provided us with a lot of useful information. It has shown that birds play an
important role in the dispersal of plant seeds or animals, a process which is
known as endozoochory. This is how Artemia franciscana, for example, a species
of shrimp endemic to the Americas, has invaded the Bay of Cádiz and drove off
our endemic shrimps. I have been able to participate in this work with
colleagues from the Doñana Biological Station and it is a line of work that I
am passionate about.
White Stork unwillingly transporting plastic
Endozoochory also explains how
some fish species have reached some smaller, isolated lagoons. A small
percentage of the fish eggs eaten by birds, survive, enabling to be established.
All these findings are extremely interesting, and may be surprising, because
people usually don’t know that the tons of plastic that we find in the wetlands
were transported there by gulls and storks.
Carp inhabiting a lagoon in Cádiz
Which
bird species that we can find in the province of Cádiz are being affected most
by climate change?
I would say steppe birds but not only because of climate change. But in general, everything is changing. When spring arrives early, the
phenology of invertebrates is altered because their life cycles are faster.
These invertebrates are the main sustenance for birds, so the latter are forced to
adjust their migratory calendar in order to feed and survive. Some birds even
don’t know well how to handle that situation. In Spoonbills we can see a
tendency that birds are wintering more on European grounds rather than
travelling to Africa. There are species that will adapt more quickly than
others to changing circumstances.
How
can non-scientists contribute to the wellbeing of birds?
Oh, in many different ways! By
participating in projects installing nest boxes, providing food and water in
times of extreme weather conditions, for example. And especially by respecting nature,
something as simple as keeping dogs on a leash on the beach for instance. For a
small bird, it costs a lot of energy to take to the air every time it is being
disturbed by a dog, while it is foraging during the low tide, preparing for a
long migratory journey. You could compare it with an airplane: flying itself is
not very energy consuming, but taking off is. If a bird that is filling its
energy tank in preparation of an extremely long trip, and it is constantly
being disrupted, it will probably not be prepared to commence its journey in
optimal shape and might never arrive at its destination.
It may be an amusing sight to see a dog run after a flock of birds, but people are often times not aware of the consequences.
Different species of waders resting on the beach
Are
enough efforts being made in order to inform people?
I want to quote Konrad Lorenz, the famous ethologist, who said that human beings are only capable of reacting to the immediate. I have been warning for climate change and its consequences everywhere I can for thirty years, but wasn’t taken seriously. Apparently, it’s innate to humankind to ignore severe problems or threats, hoping they will happen elsewhere, until it is too late. Here we are clearly having major problems: harvest failures, almost continuous heat waves that are going to affect tourism, to name only a few things. But still some people don’t want to face reality.
That’s not a very positive look on the future, is it?
Absolutely not. But we have to keep on making efforts and informing people of the necessity of a change. We all have to do our bit. When you manage to make someone interested in nature, one day that person might do the same with someone else.
What
advice would you give to people who are taking up the bird watching hobby?
Courses are always very useful, but going out in the field is what will really help you take your skills to the next level. Become part of a group, go out with a more experienced birder if you can. In the field is where you will by far gain the most knowledge.
What
is it that attracts you so much in a bird?
I find it fascinating to wonder
what a bird is doing, how old it is, how it evolves. To me, birds are a sample
of life. When people ask me ‘what’s the use of a gull?’, I reply ‘what’s the
use of you’? Humans think that we are the centre of the universe, and that nature
is here to serve us, but that’s a critical error. The gulls’ population has
escalated in urban areas because we have created waste dumps. This in turn has
affected the population of breeding wader birds, because gulls are also
predators, but they are not to blame.
When I see a bird, I wonder what information we could find inside its pellets.
Every bird has its own story
So
you look at birds rather from a scientific perspective?
Not only from a scientific perspective, but also a sentimental one. I think you need to have some sort of emotional connection with birds, otherwise you won’t be able to work with so many scientific data for so long. In order to understand birds, you need to study them carefully. I can say I am still as moved by seeing birds as I was during my early days!
Paco, thank you so much for your time!
My pleasure!
Check out one of our previous interviews here.