Content
- What is animal migration?
- Characteristics of animal migration
- Examples of migratory birds
- Chimney Swallow
- common winch
- whooper swan
- common flamingo
- black stork
- Migratory birds: more examples
- Migratory birds with longer migrations
Birds are a group of animals that evolved from reptiles. These beings have as their main characteristic the body covered by feathers and the ability to fly, but do all birds fly? The answer is no, many birds, for lack of predators or for having developed another defense strategy, have lost the ability to fly.
Thanks to flight, birds can travel long distances. However, some species begin migration when their wings have not yet developed. Do you want to know more about migratory birds? In this article by PeritoAnimal, we'll tell you all about them!
What is animal migration?
if you ever wondered what are migratory birds first you need to understand what migration is. Animal migration is a type of mass movement of individuals of a kind. It is a very strong and persistent movement, which for these animals is impossible to resist, according to the researchers. It seems to depend on some sort of temporary inhibition of the species' need to maintain its territory, and is mediated by the biological clock, by the change of daylight saving time and temperature. It is not only birds that carry out these migratory movements, but also other groups of animals, such as plankton, many mammals, reptiles, insects, fish and others.
The migration process has fascinated researchers for centuries. The beauty of the movements of groups of animals, together with the feat of overcome impressive physical barriers, such as deserts or mountains, made migration the subject of many studies, especially when destined for small migratory birds.
Characteristics of animal migration
Migratory movements are not meaningless displacements, they have been rigorously studied and are predictable for the animals that carry them out, as in the case of migratory birds. The characteristics of animal migration are:
- involves the displacement of a complete population of animals of the same species. The movements are much larger than the dispersion carried out by the young people, the daily movements in search of food or the typical movements in defense of the territory.
- Migration has a direction, a goal. Animals know where they are going.
- Some specific responses are inhibited. For example, even if conditions are ideal where these animals are, if the time comes, migration will begin.
- The natural behaviors of species can vary. For example, diurnal birds can fly at night to avoid predators or, if they are alone, group together to migrate. THE "restlessnessmigratory" may appear. Birds begin to feel very nervous and uncomfortable in the days before migration begins.
- animals accumulate energy in the form of fat to avoid having to eat during the migration process.
Also find out about the characteristics of birds of prey in this article by PeritoAnimal.
Examples of migratory birds
Many birds make long migratory movements. These shifts are usually north initiates, where they have their nesting territories, southward, where they spend the winter. Some examples of migratory birds are:
Chimney Swallow
THE chimney swallow (Hirundo rustic) é a migratory bird that live in different climates and altitudinal ranges. It mainly inhabits Europe and North America, wintering in Sub-Saharan Africa, southwestern Europe and southern Asia and South America.[1]. It is one of the most popular types of swallows, and both the individuals and their nests are protected by law in many countries.
common winch
O common winch (Chroicocephalus ridibundus) mainly inhabits the Europe and Asia, although it can also be found in Africa and America in breeding or passing times. Its population trend is unknown and although no significant risks are estimated for the population, this species is susceptible to avian flu, bird botulism, coastal oil spills and chemical contaminants. According to the IUCN, its status is of least concern.[2].
whooper swan
O whooper swan (cygnus cygnus) it is one of the most threatened migratory birds due to deforestation, although it is also considered a species of least concern by the IUCN.[3]. They exist different populations who can migrate from Iceland to the UK, 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].
Ever wonder if duck flies? Check out the answer to this question in this PeritoAnimal article.
common flamingo
Among migratory birds, the common flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) performs movements nomadic and partially migratory according to the availability of food. 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, placing their breeding colonies in the Mediterranean and West Africa principally[6].
These gregarious animals move in large, dense colonies of up to 200,000 individuals. Outside the breeding season, flocks are about 100 individuals. It is considered an animal of lesser concern, although fortunately its population trend is increasing, according to the IUCN, thanks to efforts made in France and Spain to combat erosion and the lack of nesting islands to improve the reproduction of this species.[6]
black stork
THE black stork (ciconia nigra) is a completely migratory animal, however some populations are also sedentary, for example in Spain. They travel forming a narrow front along well-defined routes, individually or in small groups, of a maximum of 30 individuals. Its population trend is unknown, therefore, according to the IUCN, it is considered a kind of least worry[7].
Migratory birds: more examples
Still wanting more? Check out this list with more examples of migratory birds so you can get detailed information:
- Great White-fronted Goose (anser albifrons);
- Red-necked Goose (Branta Ruficollis);
- Mallard (dart spatula);
- Black duck (black melanitta);
- Little Mob (Stellate Gavia);
- Common Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus);
- Crab Egret (ralloides slate);
- Imperial heron (purple ardea);
- Black Kite (milvus migrans);
- Osprey (pandion haliaetus);
- Marsh harrier (Circus aeruginosus);
- Hunting harrier (Circus pygargus);
- Common Sea Partridge (pratincola gril);
- Gray Plover (Pluvialis squatarola);
- Common Abibe (vanellus vanellus);
- Sandpiper (calidris alba);
- Dark-winged Gull (larus fuscus);
- Red-billed Tern (Hydropogne caspia);
- Swallows (Delichon urbicum);
- Black Swift (apus apus);
- Yellow Wagtail (Motacilla flava);
- Bluethroat (Luscinia svecica);
- White-fronted Redhead (phoenicurus phoenicurus);
- Gray Wheatear (oenanthe oenanthe);
- Shrike-shrike (lanius senator);
- Reed Burr (Emberiza schoeniclus).
Also know the 6 best species of domestic birds in this PeritoAnimal article.
Migratory birds with longer migrations
The migratory bird that makes the longest migration in the world, reaching more than 70,000 kilometers, and the arctic tern (heavenly sterna). This animal breeds in the cold waters of the North Pole, when it is summer in this hemisphere. In late August, they begin to migrate to the South Pole and arrive there in mid-December. This bird weighs about 100 grams and its wingspan is between 76 and 85 centimeters.
THE dark parla (griseus puffinus) is another migratory bird that leaves little to be desired for the Arctic Swallow. Individuals of this species whose migratory route is from the Aleutian Islands in the Bering Sea to New Zealand also cover a distance of 64,000 kilometers.
In the image, we show the migration routes of five Arctic terns, traced back to the Netherlands. The black lines represent traveling to the south and the gray lines to the north[8].
If you want to read more articles similar to Migratory birds: characteristics and examples, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.