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the migration of birds is a noticeable nmarker of changing seasons.

birds congregate in large groups in


preparation for a journey which may cover several thoundsans of kilometers, take several weeks and
burn up to half of their body fat. almost one fifth of all species of birds are long-distance migrants, but
how and why they have evolved to make such an journey is a complex phenomeno still not fully
understood by scientists.

almost all animal behaviour revolves around animals' basic need for survival - their need for food and a
safe place to breed and raise their offspring - and it would seem that migration is no different. take birds
which migrate to northerly extremes of the arctic every year, where summertime is characterised by long
hours of daylight, and abundance in terms of plant-life and insects. for arriving birds, it offers a chance to
replenish body weight lost in transit without too much trouble. additionally, as this habitat is
inhospitable for many large predators during the winter, it provides a relative haven for birds to breed
and raise young.

flying to northern extremes is more popular than to the southern, as the antarctic tends to produce less
food. however, ,any birds migrate along the length of south america, afica and australasia. other birds
take a horizontal journey to gain the benefit of coastal climates in winter, which tend to be milder,whilst
others again migrate up mountains during the summer, and return to shelter in the milder weatherin the
lowlands in the winter. birds will try to avoid flying over seas, as the thermal currents that they rarely on
for their energy-saving flight mode are strongerover land. birds travelling from northern europe and asia
to africa avoid the mediterranean and caspian seas; this creates a degree of bird congestion in the skies
as a staggering 500 million birds try to squeeze through the bottleneck of north east egyptian airspace
evry summer.

priormigration the birds will dramatically increase the number of calories consumed. it enables them to
lay down substantial amounts of fat to sustain them through the flight, but also birds moult before
migration , as their feathers need to be in perfect condition - the extra calories give their bodies the fuel
needed to produce this regeneration.

studies suggest that the main source of navigational information is visual. they use the sun for
orientation during the day, and the stars at night, but also may use landmarks, such as a coastline or lake,
along the way. in addition they are sensitive to magnetic north and so can use compass points. until
recently it was believed that animals were only able to use magnetic cues to find latitude, but a new
study - not on birds, but on sea-turtles - has found that they are also able to use longitude through a
method involving the strength and angle of the earth's magnetic field.

successful migration depends on the timing of the journey. when birds arrive at their destination they
need to quickly refuet and start breeding. over many years this timing has been fine-tuned so that birds
are able to maximise the period of abundance mentioned earlier. however, with the current dramatic
shifts in climate chang-driven temperatures, the timing of the seasons is shifting. this has created a
mismatch between the seasons and the arrivals of the birds, and so they are missing out on the time
when food is at its most abundant. in northern latitudes, the period when insects are abundant is
particularly narrow, and if you miss this window of food, you miss out on the best time to breed and
raise young.

the increasing numbers of skycrapers in our cityscapes has presented another problem for migratory
birds traveeling at night. it seems that the birds may become disoriented by the lights in the windows
and may inadvertently fly into the side of the building, often with fatal results. it has been suggested that
over a quarter of a million birds die in such collisions across north america alone. in an attempt to reduce
this number, the lights of many skyscrapers are now being dimmed or switched off at night.

that creatures can traverse the globe in such a matter of fact way is an amazing phenomenon of the
animal kingdom. the flight of the arctic tern, flying from one pole to the other, usually taking an indirect
route of some twenty thousand kilometers, or of the bar-tailed godwit that flies from alaska to new
zealand, a journey of eleven thousand kilometers without the bird touching the ground, are truly
incredible feats that, at first sight, defy logic.

however, the rewards in terms of food, safety and breeding opportunities are so great it seems odd that
not all birds undertake this great journey

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