Science: Atlantic Record

At the Skokholm Island Bird Observatory off Britain's Welsh coast, a pigeon-sized male Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus puffinus) was taking his tour of duty on the family nest last week, none the worse for an epic round-trip Atlantic crossing. A month before, Puffinus had been delivered to Rosario Mazzeo, staff manager of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and an amateur ornithologist, who was flying back to the U.S. from a European visit. Next day, at Boston's Logan International Airport, Mazzeo released Puffinus from his cage, and launched him out over the water for the return flight.

Though Manx Shearwaters usually migrate roughly north-and-south, Puffinus did not hesitate. He turned east over Boston Harbor and headed straight for home and eggs. Ahead, by the shortest route, lay nearly 3,300 miles of the North Atlantic. Puffinus, if he followed the custom of his species, rested occasionally on the water or stopped in a likely spot to refuel with plankton, small water creatures found just below the ocean's surface. But Puffinus wasted no time. He finished the homing trip in 12 3/4 days, averaging about 250 miles per day.†

Back in his nest Puffinus found that he had made it just in time. One of the three eggs in the nest, watched over by his mate in his absence, had already hatched; the others were on the point of hatching.