The aboriginal birds that flew over Fuerteventura

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

Radio Sintonia:

The aboriginal birds that flew over Fuerteventura.

The bone pieces and eggshells of certain species of birds within archaeological contexts in the Canary Islands provide information about the aboriginal period, from its use as food, ritual or ornament to the environmental, climatic and landscape characteristics of the territory. In this case, the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage promotes the first examination and inventory of the birds of the past, coming from different archaeological interventions in the archipelago.

 

The project has addressed the identification of skeletal elements and other evidence of birds guarded in the Archaeological Museum of La Gomera, Cabildo de El Hierro, Archaeological Museum of Fuerteventura, Benahoarita Archaeological Museum (La Palma), Cabildo de Lanzarote, Canarian Museum (Gran Canaria) and Museum of Nature and Archaeology (Tenerife).

According to Nona Perera, general director of Cultural Heritage, "this inventory is necessary to know the prominence of this resource, a reference for specialists in archaeology and paleontology" since with "the exhaustive examination of the entire archaeological record it has been possible to clarify certain issues that the scientific community had not been able to solve until now", she stresses, "such as knowing the natural evolution of birds in the Canary Islands".

Avian elements "inform the conditions that have shaped human societies in the past," says Antonio Sánchez, a specialist in paleornithology at the Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont and author of this research. Therefore, their study "enriches and expands the knowledge we have about the cultural baggage of previous societies," he explains.

Unforeseen results

Through this analysis, "it has been possible to clarify some issues that had been raised in the specialized literature for some time," says the specialist. In fact, evidence has been found of the presence of species that are not part of the current ornithofauna and that had not been previously recorded.

The most famous extinct bird of the archipelago is possibly the shearwater (Puffinus holeae). Its extinction has been the subject of several hypotheses, "such as the change in climatic conditions that could affect the temperature of the sea, and consequently, the fish on which it fed, or also due to intensive hunting by the population," says Sánchez.

However, in the site of Cueva de Villaverde (Fuerteventura) it is observed that along with the presence of this pardela, some remains of the Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea), the only large shearwater that currently lives in the Canary Islands, begin to appear. The remains of the latter are becoming more abundant with the passage of time, so the specialist considers that "what occurred was a competition between species, which was probably supported by some environmental or climatic change."

Also in Fuerteventura, in the Butihondo site, remains of Puffinus holeae, Puffinus olsoni (another extinct species) and chicken (Gallus gallus) are found on the same level, which indicates that the two fossil shearwaters disappear after the arrival of the European community to the archipelago.

In addition, unknown species have been documented in the fossil record of the Canary Islands, such as remains of tawny owl (Strix aluco) in La Palma, brown gulls (Caprimulgus ruficollis) and laughing gull (Larus ridibundus) in Fuerteventura, and bones of hubara (Chlamydotis undulata) in Gran Canaria.
With the analysis of elements of fauna that had never before been studied in depth, the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage promotes a new line of research that increases knowledge about ecology between aboriginal society and the natural environment.

link to article for bone pics

[Joy Division]

That’s really interesting and it makes you think. You can understand how some of the bigger birds such as birds of prey and sea birds have found their way here but I’ve often wondered how some of the smaller birds have managed to migrate to the islands. Birds such as Sparrows and Blue Tits etc that you can’t imagine flying 100km or so over water to make their home here. They can only have been originally brought here by man (or Woman - just to be politically correct in case I get another warning!)

[windermeregolfer]

That’s really interesting and it makes you think. You can understand how some of the bigger birds such as birds of prey and sea birds have found their way here but I’ve often wondered how some of the smaller birds have managed to migrate to the islands. Birds such as Sparrows and Blue Tits etc that you can’t imagine flying 100km or so over water to make their home here. They can only have been originally brought here by man (or Woman - just to be politically correct in case I get another warning!)

Here are a couple of links re bird migration - 

Bird Migration

RSPB - Migration

[Joy Division]

Thanks for the links.

I do get it for the migratory birds but I still wonder about the humble Sparrow who barely hops a few steps, let alone flies 100km across the treacherous Atlantic. I can’t imagine him (or her!) doing it.

[Joy Division]

I just found the answer. Although the Sparrows in the Canary Islands look a lot like the House Sparrows you see in the U.K. they are in fact a different species. They’re called Eurasian tree Sparrows which do in fact migrate. I guess it’s the same for Blue Tits and some of the other birds you might see in your U.K. garden. They look similar, but are a different species altogether.
Still, some feat for those little feathered critters to be undertaking such a journey. I did think they were a lot cuter than the U.K. Sparrows and dare I say it, look a bit more intelligent. It figures I guess! Hope I’m allowed to say that without suffering the wrath of Sam 😂

[DavidP]

Just spotted a couple of house martins in Cotillo.
Is this a bit early for them to head north or do they know something we don't.
Any info re these little fellas welcome as my ignorance of feathered creatures is abysmal.

[windermeregolfer]

Just spotted a couple of house martins in Cotillo.
Is this a bit early for them to head north or do they know something we don't.
Any info re these little fellas welcome as my ignorance of feathered creatures is abysmal.

At dusk a few nights ago, so not quite sure what they were, we had either swallows or house martins flying around our villa on Fuerteventura Golf.