Vagrancy (biology)

Vagrancy is a phenomenon in biology when animals appear very far from their normal range. These animals are called vagrants. The term accidental can be used as well. There are a number of reasons for such animals to become a vagrant - such as weather conditions - but these causes are still rather confused.

Vagrancy is known to occur in birds, insects, mammals and turtles.

Vagrancy (biology) Media

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  Laughing gull, a species of the Americas, photographed in Wales.

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  Vagrant birds in unfamiliar habitats may end up dying from stress or a lack of food, as happened to this great shearwater that was found at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan