In a message dated 96-01-02 20:22:52 EST, Chris Hill writes:

>Yes, but if they get stuck on the equator, they are in trouble, because
>they go straight pretty much forever, until they collapse, exhausted,
>into the waves. I belive that is why you find high concentrations of
>pelagic birds near both poles, but few in the low latitudes (high equator
>risk).
>
>

Wrong! High concentrations are in the higher latitudes where those colder
waters are much much richer in nutrients and food. The blue waters of the
tropics are pretty sterile. There can be quite an interesting and varied
diversity, but numbers are much lower. However, in some areas like around
the Galapagos, the southern Humbolt Current generated from the Antarctic runs
north along the the west coast of South America carrying cool nutrient rich
waters to the equatorial Eastern Tropical Pacific and even to the north of
there. The net result is cool water, cool air temperatures, misty overcast
conditions at certain times, and a quite rich avifauna that could care less
which way they fly as long as it is toward something to eat.

Richard A. Rowlett <pagodroma at aol.com>
Bellevue, WA, USA