Why do migratory birds travel so long? What is the longest journey for a bird? How do birds find their way? Britain's summer migratory birds
When spring arrives, summer birds begin to appear in the UK. The sea eagles have already returned to their nests, the brown birds are singing to make their home, and the sea parrots have reached their breeding grounds around the British Isles.
Centuries ago, people thought Swallow would spend the winter sleeping on the bottom of ponds and lakes or on the moon, but this is nonsense.
We now know that animals migrate for their survival and their offspring. Migration also helps them find food and companions or avoid predators.
Although we only consider the migration of birds from one country to another as migration, there are actually many animals that migrate.
The African animal Wilderbeast, for example, migrates in a circle and migrates in large numbers to the African plains in search of fresh grass during the dry season. In addition, the humpback whale migrates to warm waters for breeding.
What is the longest journey for a bird?
However, regarding the length of the journey, the record is with the birds. The record for the longest journey made in this regard is held by a bird named Bar-tailed godwit. A bird of this breed flew continuously from Alaska to New Zealand for about ten days without a break, during which it traveled 12,200 kilometers (7,500 miles).
But the real champion of a long-haul flight is the Arctic Tern, which travels 35,000 kilometers each year from the North Pole to the South Pole. This very long migration means that this bird is constantly living in summer. During its world tour, it stops in many countries, including Mauritania, Ghana, and South Africa.
How do birds find their way?
Migration is a challenging task. Birds need a lot of fat during their flight and to keep themselves alive during their journey. The consequences of getting lost can be dangerous, so birds have incredible navigation skills that help them fly the shortest and safest routes.
Some species of birds have the innate and hereditary ability to migrate, allowing them to move freely to other areas to reproduce.
The cuckoo, for example, is not raised by its parents because the female cuckoo lays her eggs in the nest of an entirely different species of bird. Even so, a young cuckoo can travel from Europe to Africa and return using an inherited 'internal GPS.'
But some species of birds, such as the Caspian Tern, which migrate long distances from their breeding grounds in Northern Europe to winter in Africa, have very few inherited migratory habits.
Their parents often teach them, also known as 'cultural heritage' or social studies.
For example, a recent study found that young sea urchins (Caspian Tern) are learning how to emigrate from their fathers. These parents also relocate and, at the same time, are training their children. He also shows them suitable places to stop, and energy can be obtained by eating fish.
But birds also use some of these natural signals, whether genetically inherited or socially. For example, the shape of beaches, the location of sun or stars, or the smell of your nest to help them navigate their way around the world.
Some birds, such as domestic pigeons, use natural magnetic maps when traveling.
Britain's summer migratory birds
Our knowledge of bird migration has increased dramatically since the development of bloggers. These are small digital devices that collect information and implant it in birds. With their help, we can determine a single bird's location, speed, stopping point, and migration time.
One such study is the Cuckoo Tracking Project. This shows that since the beginning of 2022, many cuckoos have left Central Africa. Each traveled hundreds of kilometers separately and then stayed for a week or two in other countries, including Ivory Coast and Morocco.
They then proceeded to the next stage of their journey and reached France by about April 10. The migrating coal is expected to return to its breeding ground in the UK soon.
They are not alone. Many birds come to the UK over long distances to breed in the summer.
For example, a small sparrow is found in Central Africa in winter but back in the UK from late February to mid-August. A dragonfly hunter occurs in winter in South Africa and the UK from late April to October. Because of this, they can take advantage of the long hours of daylight and the abundance of food in the UK's summer months.
Here are some tips to help breeders and other permanent birds, such as sparrows.
Feeding the birds fruits, seeds, and leftover household items such as pastries, fruits or cheese will help them get food quickly.
But some species of birds depend on insects. So increasing the biodiversity in your gardens, creating a forest field, or not cutting grass in May will also be very beneficial.
Don't forget that birds also need water to drink and bathe, so a small pool will be enough to bathe the birds. You can also set up nest boxes for returning birds. Especially in urban areas where there is a lack of natural nests for raising small birds.
Wake up to the sound of birds, thanks to our summer tourist birds, including birds. Which, of course, made the video an overnight sensation. We must not forget their journey to reach our shores and do whatever we can to ensure a breeding season.
