You know that bird migration facts are very astounding and exciting. Every bird lover wants to discover facts about bird migration. Are you too a bird lover? Then, here are a few interesting facts listed below for all the curious people. Let’s look at the unique seasonal bird migration trends which you must know.
What is bird migration?
It is the movement of the birds that happen with the change in season as birds migrate from one place to another to breed. Birds that are commonly seen in and around the UK are migratory birds. They spend most of their time in other parts of the world. Some of the birds appear in the winters as they migrate from other cold places. Do you know why do the birds migrate?
Why birds migrate?
- One reason for migration is reproduction:
Birds move to a location with a warm temperature to raise their offsprings during the breeding season.
- Lack of food:
Birds move from the place with a lack of food supply to the place where there is plenty of food for survival.
- Season:
The birds migrate to the place where the days are longer so that they have plenty of time to during the day to collect food for their offsprings. So they move from the place when it starts to get cold.
- Preparation for migration:
Migratory birds prepare for long migrations by eating lots of food stored in their bodies in the form of fats. There are a few birds that overeat because of which their weight gets doubled. If we look for an example, then ruby-throated hummingbird stores enough fat to move up to 600 miles. It can fly non-stop for 24 hours over the open waters.
What are the techniques of migration?
The birds flying in a V-shape is a migration technique that reduces the energy consumption for the flight of the bird. The energy needed to flight alone is 12-20% more than the energy required to fly in a group. Birds fly more quickly in a flock rather than being alone.
Another technique for migration is to fly high; this technique does not apply to all the birds. Birds like pintail and black-tailed godwits fly 5000 meters high while bar-headed Geese can fly over 6540 meters.
Why do birds migrate at night?
There are plenty of benefits for the night migratory birds. Let’s check out the following three benefits of the night maneuvering:
- 1. The birds don’t have to worry about the attackers like hawk or falcons
The small migratory birds can be an excellent meal for the predators. Thus, the darkness of the night helps these birds from the threat of the large hunting birds.
- 2. The air at night is less turbulent than that of the day
The lack of turbulence maintains the bird’s flight speed and enables the bird to cover a significant distance in one night.
- 3. The air is cooler at night
An access amount of heat is produced by the birds while migration; thus, cold air can quickly dump all the access heat from the bird.
Types of night migratory birds
The night migratory birds include flycatchers, warbles, sparrows, orioles, thrushes, and cuckoos. These birds find shelter and make a living in the woods. These birds are not quite energetic; thus, they require a dense amount of birds together to avoid the attack of the predators.
