The birds are a group of animals that evolved from reptiles. The main characteristic of these beings is that their body is covered with feathers and that they fly, but Do all birds fly? The answer is no, many birds, or else due to the lack of predators or because they have developed another defense strategy, they have lost the ability to fly.
What is animal migration?
Animal migration is a type of mass movement of individuals of a species. It is a very strong and persistent movement, which is impossible to resist according to the researchers. It seems to depend on some kind of temporary inhibition of the species' need to maintain its territory and is mediated by the biological clock, the change in hours of light and temperature. Not only birds perform migratory movements, but also other animal groups such as plankton, many mammals, reptiles, insects, fish and many others.
The process of migration has fascinated researchers for centuries. The beauty of the group movements of animals together with the feat of overcoming impressive physical barriers, such as deserts or mountains, has caused migration to be the objective of many studies, especially when targeting small migratory birds.
Characteristics of animal migration
Migratory movements are not meaningless movements, they are rigorously studied and are predictable for the animals that carry them out. The characteristics of animal migration are:
- Involves the displacement of an entire population of animals of the same species. The movements are much greater than the actual dispersal carried out by the juveniles, the daily movements in search of food or the typical movements to defend the territory.
- Migration has a direction, a meta. Animals know where they are going.
- Some particular responses are inhibited. For example, even if conditions are ideal where they are, if the time comes, the migration begins.
- The natural behaviors of species may vary. For example, diurnal birds may fly at night to avoid predators or, if they are solitary, they may group together to migrate. The "migratory restlessness" may appear. Birds begin to look very nervous and restless in the days before migration begins.
- Animals store energy in the form of fat to avoid having to eat during the migration process.
Examples of migratory birds
Many birds make long migratory movements. These movements usually are from the north, where they have their nesting territories to the south, where they spend the winter Some of the examples of migratory birds are:
1. Barn Swallow
The barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) is a migratory bird present in different climatesand altitude ranges. It primarily inhabits Europe and North America, wintering in sub-Saharan Africa, southwestern Europe, and South Asia and South America. According to the IUCN, its population is decreasing, which is why it is considered a species of least concern[1] It is one of the most popular types of swallows, in addition, both individuals like their nests are protected by law in various countries.
two. Laughing Gull
The Laughing Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) mainly inhabits Europe and Asia, although we can also find it in Africa and America during the breeding or passage seasons. Its population trend is unknown and although no significant risks are estimated for the population, this species is susceptible to avian influenza, avian botulism, coastal oil spills and pollutants chemicals. According to the IUCN, its status is Least Concern[2]
3. Whooper Swan
The whooper swan (Cygnus cygnus) is primarily threatened by deforestation, although it is also considered a species of least concern by the IUCN [3] There are different populations that can migrate from Iceland to the United Kingdom, from Sweden and Denmark to the Netherlands and Germany, from Kazakhstan to Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, and from Korea to Japan. There are also doubts about a population migrating from Western Siberia to Kamnchatka[4], Mongolia and China[5]
4. Greater Flamingo
The Greater Flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) makes nomadic and partially migratory movementsaccording to food availability. It travels from West Africa to the Mediterranean, also including Southwest and South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. They regularly travel to warm regions in winter, locating their breeding colonies in the Mediterranean and West Africa mainly[6]
These gregarious animals move in large and dense colonies, of up to 200,000 individuals Outside the breeding season the flocks are around of 100 individuals. It is considered an animal of least concern, although fortunately its population trend is growing, according to the IUCN, thanks to the efforts made in France and Spain to counteract erosion and the lack of nesting islands to improve the reproduction of the species [6]
Discover also on our site why flamingos are pink.
5. Black Stork
The Black Stork (Ciconia nigra) is a completely migratory animal, however, some populations are also sedentary, for example in Spain. Travel in a narrow front along well-defined routes, individually or in small groups of up to 30 individuals. Its population trend is unknown, therefore, according to the IUCN, it is considered a species of least concern[7]
More migratory bird names
Have you been wanting more? We offer you a list with more examples of migratory birds so that you can inform yourself in detail:
- White-fronted goose (Anser albifrons)
- Red-necked Geese (Branta ruficollis)
- Carretona teal (Spatula querquedula)
- Black Scoter (Melanitta nigra)
- Low Loon (Gavia stellata)
- Common Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus)
- Squacco Egret (Ardeola ralloides)
- Grey Heron (Ardea purpurea)
- Black Kite (Milvus migrans)
- Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
- Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus)
- Montagu's Harrier (Circus pygargus)
- Rainbow (Glareola pratincola)
- Grey Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
- European Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus)
- Tridactyl Sandpiper (Calidris alba)
- Sooty Gull (Larus fuscus)
- Red-billed Pagaza (Hydropogne caspia)
- Common Martin (Delichon urbicum)
- Common Swift (Apus apus)
- Cattle Wagtail (Motacilla flava)
- Bluethroat Nightingale (Luscinia svecica)
- Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)
- Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)
- Shrike (Lanius senator)
- Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)
The longest bird migrations
The bird whose migration is the longest in the world, traveling more than 70,000 kilometers is thearctic tern (Sterna paradisaea). This animal breeds in the cold waters of the North Pole when it is summer in this hemisphere. At the end of August, they begin to migrate towards the South Pole and arrive here in mid-December. This bird weighs around 100 grams and its wingspan is between 76 and 85 centimeters.
The Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) is another migratory bird that has little to envy the arctic tern. Individuals of this species, whose migratory route is the one that goes from the Aleutian Islands in the Bering Sea to New Zealand, also cover a distance of 64,000 kilometers
In the image we show you the migration routes of five arctic terns, tracked from the Netherlands. Black lines represent travel south and gray lines north[8].