Seabird Breeding Grounds Identified in Chile

A Chilean expedition into the Atacama Desert has identified the first known breeding grounds of the ringed storm-petrel, a seabird of unknown population size that is endemic to the western coast of South America. The nests, located in natural cavities in the desert’s rocks and salt pans, were found 70 miles from the Pacific coast, where the birds feed and spend most of their time, Mongabay.com reported. Chilean scientists see the discovery as critical to estimating the stability and size of the ringed storm-petrel population and determining the threat posed by mining and proposed wind farms in the region.