Bird migration guide: which birds migrate, where do they go ...

The different types of bird migration · Latitudinal migration. This is the migration from northern regions to southern, and vice versa. · Longitudinal migration. Home Wildlife Birds Birdmigrationguide:whichspeciesmigrateandwheredotheygo? Asyouwakeuponafrostywintermorning,it’shardnottoenvyaswallow,9,600kmawayinsouthernAfricawiththesunonitsback.Someofourswallowswillspendthisverydayflittingaroundherdsofgrazinganimals,suchaselephants,buffaloandwildebeest,snappingupflyinginsectsdisturbedbytheherbivores’feet.OncebackintheUK,theywilldothesamearoundherdsofcows. Advertisement About50speciesinallleaveourshoreseachyearonasubstantialsouthwardjourney,tospendtheBritishwinteringentlerclimates.Butatthesametime,manybirdspecies–suchasgeese,swansandducks–migratetoBritaininautumn,overwinteringonourshoresbeforeleavingoncemoreinspring. Sowhydobirdsmigrate?Wheredobirdsmigrateto?WhichbirdspeciesarriveintheUKinautumnandwhichonesleaveaheadofwinter?Lookingahead,whichbirdspeciesarriveinspringandwhichonesleavebeforesummer? Manyof‘our’birds,suchasospreys,migratetoAfricafortheBritishwinter/Credit:Getty Thedifferenttypesofbirdmigration Tounderstandmigrationproperly,thereareanumberoftermsworthknowingabout: Seasonalmigration Thisisamovementbetweenbreedingandnon-breedingranges.Summervisitorsarrivefromthesouthandwinterfromthenorth. Latitudinal migration Thisisthemigrationfromnorthernregionstosouthern,andviceversa. Longitudinalmigration ParticularlycommonincontinentalEurope,thisisthemovementofbirdsbetweeneasternandwesternregions. Irruptions  Irregularmigrationsarecausedbyalackoffoodandwater,resultinginlargenumbersofbirdsflyingtounfamiliarareas. Nomadicmigration Likeirruptions,theseresultfromalackofvitalresources,butbirdscovershorterdistancesandstaywithinafamiliarrange. Altitudinalmigration Thisisamovementfromhightolowgroundduringthecoldermonths,usuallyovershortdistances.Skylarksdothis. Moultmigration Duringmoultingseason–oftenavulnerabletimeforbirds–speciessuchasshelducksheadtosafergrounds. Drift Onveryrareoccasions,migratingbirds‘drift’awayfromtheirnormalroutesasaresultofstorms,forexamplebluethroatsinNorfolk. Reversemigration Thisismostfrequentlyseeninautumnwhenyoungbirdsbecomeconfused,flyingagainsttheirexpectedroute. Dispersal Thisoccurswhenjuvenilebirdsareforcedtoleavefledginggroundstofindnewterritory–it’snotatruemigration. youmayalsolike: GuidetoBritain’sgeesespecies:howtoidentifyandwheretosee GuidetoBritain’sswans:speciesidentification,folkloreandwheretoseethem Guidetowadingbirds:howtoidentifyandwheretosee Guidetowinterbirdvisitors Whatarewintervisitors? WintervisitorsarebirdsthatarriveonBritain’sshoresinautumn,thenleaveagaininspring. WhydobirdsmigratetoBritaininautumnandwinter? WintervisitorscometotheUKfromthenorthandeastforthemildclimateandabundanceoffood,thenreturnnorthandeast tobreed. Differenttypesofwintervisitors Redwing Similarinappearancetothesongthrushandmistlethrush,theredwingisthesmallestofthethrushspeciesfoundinBritain.Itcanbeidentifiedbytheorange-redpatchesunderitswings,andbythecreamystripeoveritseyes.Onlyacoupleofpairsnesthere,withthemajorityarriveinhereinautumntofeedonberries,beforeleavingagaininMarchandApril. RedwingisthesmallestofthethrushspeciesfoundinBritain/Credit:MikeLane,Getty Fieldfare  ThefieldfareisanotherthrushthatvisitsBritaininwinter,largerthanredwingsandsongthrushes,butalittlesmallerthanmistlethrushes.Itcanbetoldapartbyitsgreyheadandrump.TheyarriveherefromOctoberonwards,andbeingtoreturninMarch. Fieldfarepickingandeatingrowanberryinwinter./Credit:Phototrip,Getty Bewick’sswan TheBewick’sswanisthesmallestoftheswanspeciesfoundinBritain,shelteringhereinfarmland,freshwaterwetlandsandcoastalbays. Theytravel2,500milesfromSiberia,facinganumberofchallengesalongthewayincludingpredation,illegalhunting,andtheriskofhittingpowerlines.InFebruary2021,aflockthathadstartedtheirmigrationbacktotheArcticwereforcedtoreturntoGloucestershireduetoStormDarcy. Bewick’sswansinNorfolk/Credit:MikePowles, Getty Barnaclegoose Thissmallgoosehasacreamyface,shortbillandblackneckandwintersinScotland,IrelandandnorthernEnglandafterbreedinginGreenlandandSvalbard.There’sasmallresidentbreedinggroupof1,000pairs.Winterpopulationis90,000. BarnacleGooseinmarshland/Credit:MikePowles,Getty Canadagoose IntroducedfromNorthAmerica,therearenow62,000pairsintheUKandthenumberisgrowing.Largeandwithabrownbodyandblackneck,ithasbecometheUK’smostfamiliargooseofparklakes.Itisseenasapestinsomeareas. CanadageeseareoneofBritain’smostrecognisablewintervisitors/Credit:unknown,Getty Pink-footedgoose Thismedium-sizedgooseresemblesthewhite-frontedbuthasadarkfaceandbillandpinklegs.ArrivingfromGreenlandandIceland,around300,000winterontheeastcoast,especiallyNorfolk,thoughsome50,000chooseLancashire’scoast. Pink-footedgeeseareparticularlyabundantontheeastcoastofEnglandinwinter/Credit:unknown,Getty Black-tailedgodwit Oneofourlargestwaders,withlonglegsandalongbillforprobinginmudforwormsandsnails.Orange-browninsummer,ithasgreywinterplumagewithblack-and-whitewingbarsnoticeableinflight;44,000fromIcelandspendwinterintheUK. Black-tailedgodwitinthesnow/Credit:unknown,Getty Sanderling Atinyscuttlingsparrowofthesandyshorethatseemstodanceinandoutasthewaveslapthebeach.Itisawintervisitorsoweonlygettoseeitsgrey-whitecolouringandnotthegorgeoustortoiseshellplumageofsummer;itbreedsintheArctic. Asanderlingsearchingforfoodalongtheshorelineathightide/Credit: SandraStandbridge,Getty Greatnortherndiver Greatnortherndiversarethoughttobetheoldestbirdspeciesintheworld.Largeandpowerful,theirredeyesmayhelpthemseeunderwateronfishingdivesupto60mdeep.TheybreedinNorthAmericaandwinteronAtlanticshores,gatheringinlargenumbersaroundthenorth-westcoast ofScotland.Astrongnorth-westerlywind,however,canpushthemsouth. Greatnortherndiverinwinterplumage/Credit:unknown,Getty Bohemianwaxwing ArrivinginsmallflocksfromcentralEurope,theseexoticpeach-tingedbirdswithblackeyelineranddebonaircrestsareasignthatit’sevencolderonthecontinentthanitishere.Waxwingslovehedgerowberries. Waxwingonarowantree/Credit:MikeLane,Getty Guidetosummerbirdvisitors Whataresummervisitors? SummervisitorsarebirdsthatarriveonBritishshoresinspringtobreed.TheyspendsummerinBritain,rearingtheiryoungbeforereturningsouthinautumn. WhydobirdsmigratetoBritaininspringandsummer? Themostintriguingquestionaboutoursummervisitorsisnotwhytheygosouth,butwhytheyreturntoBritainyearafteryear.Onthewhole,therearetwofactorsthatcompelthemtocomehere.First,thereisplentyofroomtoholdterritorywithoutbeingcrowdedoutbyAfricanbirds. Andsecondly,thelongdaylighthoursallowbirdstofeedtheiryoungforlongereveryday,helpingthemtogrowquickly.Anditisthis,on aFebruarymorning,thatbeckonstheswallownorthward.Februaryisthebigmovingmonth–soonitwillbeonthewing. youmayalsolike: Britishbirdsofpreyguide:howtoidentifyraptorsandwheretosee GuidetotitspeciesintheUK:howtoidentifyandwheretosee Britishduckguide:identification,species,factsandwheretosee Wheredosummervisitorsmigratetoinautumnandwinter? MostofbirdspeciesthatleaveBritaininautumngotoAfrica,butnotall.TheManxshearwaterfliesacrosstheoceanstospendthewinteroffArgentina,while,famously,theArcticternswapstheextremenorthfortheextremesouth,reachingandsometimescircumnavigatingAntarctica. Attheotherendofthescale,birdssuchasblackcapsmaytaketheshort-hauloptionandwhilethewinterawayinSpain,alongsidehumanex-pats. BlackcapsmayoptforarelativelyshortwintermigrationtoSpain/Credit:EducationImages, Getty WhydobirdsleaveBritaininautumnandwinter? Theadvantagesofgoingsouthareobvious,particularlyforinsectivorousbirds.SwallowsandnightingaleswouldbetakingabigchancetoriskaBritishwinter,whenjustafewverycolddayscouldbeenoughtostarvethemtodeath.Furthersouththereismorefoodallyearround,butthereisalsomuchmorecompetition.NotonlyarethereAfricanresidentbirds,butalsomigrantsfromEuropeandAsia.ApatchofscrubbyAfricanforestisquiteameltingpotofnationalitiesbetweenOctoberandMarch. Wherevertheyendup,thereisnodoubtthattheirimmediatesurroundingswilllookconsiderablydifferenttothefrigid,bareBritishcountrysideinwinter. InSpainorNorthAfrica,migrantswillforageamongoliveleavesandevergreenscrub.WillowwarblersintropicalAfricafeedinthecrownsofacaciatreesonlushsavannah,whereonlygiraffescanreach.Cuckooswilldisappearintodenseforests,whilegardenwarblerswillheadintothickmontanescrubwithabiodiversitymanytimeshigherthanours. Northernwheatearsswapmoorlandforsemi-desertlandscapes,andnightingaleswillsometimesthrowoffthereticencetheyshowintheUKandfeedingardensandpatchesofcultivatedlandinAfrica. Youmayalsolike: Gardenbirdguide:howtocareforyourbirds Podcast:insearchofnightjars BigGardenBirdWatch–howtotakepart Dobirdschangetheirbehaviourwhentheymigrate? Muchas‘our’birdsfindthemselvesinachangedlandscape,theydonotbecomefundamentallydifferent.AspottedflycatcherintropicalAfricadoeswhataspottedflycatcherdoesinBritain:itmakesdartingsalliestocatchinsectsinflight.Itmightcatchtermitesandotherexoticinvertebrates,butitsfeedingmethodsaremuchthesame. Arcticternsdiveforfish,turtledoveseatgrainonthegroundandreedwarblersclimbupanddownstemsofmarshlandplantswiththeirstrongfeet,justastheydoeverydayoftheirlivesintheUK. Ifanything,itisourresidentbirdsthatchangedietthemostwhenourmigrantsleavetheseshores;bluetitsandmanyothersswitchfromfeedingoncaterpillarsandotherinsectstoadietofseedsandnuts. SpottedflycatchersfeastontermiteswhilstawayfromtheUK/Credit:unknown,Getty Howlongdoesittakebirdstomigrate? It’seasytoforgetthatourmigrantsdon’tjustwakeuponemorningunderAfricanskies.Mosttakeamonthormoretogettotheirwinteringgrounds,andtheymustadapttoanyplacestheypassontheirtravels,aswellastheirdestination.TheyneedtooverflytheEnglishChannelandtheMediterranean,thentheSaharaDesert.SettlingintotheAfricanbushmustbeeasybycomparison. Differenttypesofsummervisitors Osprey Theosprey’spracticeofhuntingfishbyplungingintowaterfromaheightiseasilytranslatablefromBritaintoWestAfrica,whereourbirdswinter.Thepracticealsoworksequallywellinsaltwaterasinfresh.Fivethousandkilometresaway,ourbirdsmainlystayonthecoastinwinter,fishingintheshallow,shelteredwaterjustoffshore,oralonglargerivers.TheycompetewithAfricanfisheaglesinsomeareas. InBritain,ospreysarriveinMarchandApriltoinhabitfreshwaterlakes,mainlyinScotland.They’realsofoundatRutlandWater,inthemidlands,andinPooleHarbour,Dorset. OspreysmaketheirwaytoWestAfricatoavoidaBritishwinter/Credit:unknown,Getty Wheatear Thewheatearismostlyabirdofcroppedgrasslandandmoorland,commonestbyfarinnorthernBritain.InOctoberitdepartsforAfrica,withEuropeanbirdsspreadingacrossfromwesttoeastjustsouthoftheSahara.Theysettleindistinctlyaridareas,oftenataltitude,withrockyoutcrops,wheretheykeepaterritoryanddefenditaggressivelyfromotherbirds.Theyfeedoninvertebratesinthesamewayeverywhere,perchingonarockorbush-toptosurveythescene,thenrunningorflying aftertheirprey. Wheatearsleavefor AfricainOctober/Credit:unknown,Getty Chiffchaff MigrantchiffchaffsleavingtheseislandscanwinteranywherebetweenSpainandtropicalWestAfrica,withthebulksettlingaroundSenegal,justsouthoftheSahara.Theylivein awidevarietyofscrubbyareas,ofteninaridregions–ratheradifferentprofilefromthetall,lushdeciduouswoodlandthatistheirtypicalBritishbreedinghabitat.Chiffchaffsusethesameforagingmethods,restlesslysearchingtheleavesforsmallinvertebrates.TheyleavetheirwinteringgroundsinFebruaryandarrivebackhereinMarch.Thechiffchaffiswidespread,breedinginwoodsthroughoutBritain. ChiffchaffsarrivebackinBritaininMarch/Credit:unknown,Getty Yellowwagtail Thisbuttery-yellowdelightisamuch-decliningbirdofmeadows,wetlandsandarablefarmland.Oneofthebestwaystoseeitisatthefeetofhorsesandcattle,feedingonthefliesdisturbedbyhooves.TranslatethattoAfrica,andyoucanaddinzebrasandelephants.TheyellowwagtailwintersacrosstropicalAfrica,butmostofourbirdsareinthewest.Theyfeedinmuchthesamewayeverywhere,dashingafterinvertebratesontheground,ordartingintotheair.InBritain,they’refoundmainlyincentralandeasternEngland,fromApriltoSeptember. Westernyellowwagtailsinhabitmeadows,wetlandsandarablefarmland/Credit:ArterraPictureLibrary,Alamy Redstart InBritain,thisdelightfulrobin-likebirdisstronglyattachedtothesessileoakwoodsofthenorthandwestwiththeirtanglesoflichenandmoss,drippingwithinsectlifeallsummerlong.Perhapssurprisingly,itswapsthislavishhabitatwithmuchdrier,scrubbyhabitatsintheSahelofWestAfrica,eveninMali,muchofwhichisdesert.InAfrica,itprobablyspendsmoretimefeedingontheground,likearobin. CommoninmuchofBritain,youcanfindredstartsintheNewForest,CentralWalesandtheLakeDistrict,aswellasmuchofScotland. RedstartsmigratefromthelushlandsofBritaintodrylandsofWesternAfrica/Credit:unknown,Alamy Swallow Theswallowhasoneofthelongestmigrationsofanybird,withtheBritishpopulationheadingfortheeasternpartofSouthAfrica,wheretheyarriveinNovemberasharbingersofspring.Theyfeedthereinmuchthesameway,swoopinglowtocatchjuicyflyinginsects,althoughtheyalsonabsomeseedsfromAcaciacyclops,hoveringatthetipsofthebranches.Theyalsoroostinhugenumbersinreedbeds. Swallowhavedistinctiveforkedtails/Credit:MikeLane,Getty Swift SwiftsarriveinBritaininlateAprilorearlyMay,andareawelcomesightandsoundintheskies.However,theydon’tstickaroundherelong–stayingjustlongenoughtobreedbeforebeginningtheirautumnmigrationbacktoAfricainlateJulyorearlyAugust.It’sbelievedthattheirautumnmigrationispromptedbyfewerinsectsintheair. Commonswiftinflight/Credit:Gerdzhikov, Getty Turtledove It’squiteunusualforaseed-eatingbirdtobealong-distancemigrant,buttheturtledovebreakstherule,leavinginSeptembertoflytotheSahelregion,adry,scrubbybeltsouthoftheSahara,incountriessuchasMaliandSenegal.HereitismuchmorearidthatinthefarmlandofBritain,althoughtheturtledovesimplyfeedsonseedsandgrains,asitdoeshere.NowrareinBritainafteradrasticdecline,theturtledoveoccursprincipallyinSouthEastEngland.LookforitinsummerattheKneppEstateinWestSussex,MartinDowninHampshire,andmuchofEastAnglia,suchasRSPBFowlmere,Cambridgeshire. ThedeliciouspurringofturtledovesusedtobethesoundofaBritishsummer/Credit:unknown,Getty Cuckoo Trackingofcuckoosinrecentyearshasrevealedmuchabouttheirextraordinarymigration.ManyadultsleaveBritainontheirsouthwardjourneyasearlyasJune.TheythenflytoWestAfrica(Nigeriaforexample),followedbyajourneyintothedeeprainforest oftheCongoBasin–aminimumof6,500km–wheretheyspendmostofthewinter.Thisisacompletelydifferenthabitattothemarshes,moorsandfarmlandtheyinhabitinBritain,andtheyarehardlyeverseenintherainforest. ThecuckooreturnstoBritaininApril.FollowingabigpopulationdeclineinthesouthofEngland,theyarenowmostcommoninnorthernEnglandandScotland. Cuckooperchedonsilverbirchsaplinginspring/Credit:unknown,Getty Blackcap Thiscommonwarblerisashort-rangemigrantthatwintersinsouthernSpainandMorocco.Butinrecentyears,breedersfromGermanyandAustriahavebeenflyingwesttospendthewinterwithusinBritain,andthesebirdsoftenvisitgardenfeeders. Astunningmaleblackcapinawillowtreesinginginspring/Credit:unknown,Getty Atlanticpuffin Whatpuffinsdidinwinterwasamysteryuntilrecently.Bytaggingthesetoughlittlemembersoftheaukfamilywithgeolocators,scientistshaveshownthattheyheadfarouttosea,bravingseveralmonthsinthestormyNorthAtlantic. PuffinsspendseveralmonthsintheNorthAtlanticbeforereturningtotheUKtobreed/Credit:unknown,Getty Whitethroat Intheweeksbeforeitmigrates,thishedgerowwarblerswitchesfrominsectstosugaryberriestorapidlyputonweightasfuel.Itspendsthewinterinthearid,scrubbyregionknownastheSahel,tothesouthoftheSahara. WhitethroatsspendwinterintheSahel/Credit:unknown,Getty Arctictern Nicknamed‘seaswallows’,thesegraceful,long-wingedseabirdsaretrueglobetrotters.TheyswapournorthernwinterforthepermanentdaylightoftheAntarcticsummer,loopingaroundtheAtlanticOceantogetthereinanepicjourneyupto35,000kmlong. Arcticternatnestsitewith20-dayfledglingontheIsleofMayinScotland/Credit:MikePowles, Getty Littletern ThelittleternisoneoftheUK’ssmallestseabirdsandweightsonly40-6og.TheyspendthewinterinAfrica,andreturntotheUKinApriltonestonoursandyandpebblebeaches. Theirnestsarevulnerabletopredation,andtodisturbancebyhumansanddogs.Ifdisturbed,adultswillleavethenest,leavingtheireggsorchicksexposedtothecoldandpredators.Littleternnestingcoloniesarealsostrugglingwithclimatechange,andrisingseasandcoastalfloodingcanwashawaynestsandchicks.TheirreturnmigrationtakesplaceinAugustandSeptember. LittleternadultsittingonnestinNorfolk./Credit:NeilBowman,Getty Advertisement Words:BenHoare,DominicCouzens,andMeganShersby. ShareonFacebook ShareonTwitter ShareonPinterest Emailtoafriend Tags britishbirds Britishwildlife Winterwildlife SubscribetoBBCCountryfile IntroductoryOffer!  Try3issuesofBBCCountryfileMagazineforjust£5! Availableforalimitedtimeonly SUBSCRIBETODAY WanttobeupdatedwhenthereisCountryfile.comnews? 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