The Little Bird that Could

Hundreds of miles out to sea in a storm, exhausted birds would sometimes land en masse on ships for refuge. Sailors must have wondered at the sight; where did these little birds come from? And what are they doing out here? Did the wind carry them away from the safety of the land? A team of scientists decided to find out.

The blackpoll warbler would fit nicely in the palm of your hand. It weighs about as much as an AA battery, Becky Oskin says in Live Science. Yet this small flyer, not much b...