Fun Facts about Bird Migration
Ever look up in the sky and wonder where all of those birds are going? While you might think that birds migrate due to alternating weather conditions, birds actually migrate to be in places with a better food supply and nesting resources. Below are some more interesting facts about bird migration.
Different species of birds travel different distances.
There are short distance birds, long distance birds and even medium distance birds. Short distance can be flying from higher to lower altitudes, while long distance can be traveling from as far as Canada to Central America.
Birds are no dummies and can remember exactly where they were born.
Migratory birds use a combination of their senses along with the sun, stars and Earth’s magnetic field to navigate where they need to go. They can even fly thousands of miles without stopping. However, how they seem to remember exactly where they were born year after year remains a mystery.
Birds have the ability to determine the best times for migration.
Different factors like temperature changes, genetic predisposition, changes in food supplies and changes in the length of days trigger migration for many species of birds. Even birds that are caged as pets have shown restlessness during migration times.
Birds are extremely versatile, strong and can accomplish amazing feats.
Not only can they fly thousands of miles non-stop, they can also fly just as fast as we drive in our cars. Some migratory birds can accomplish top speeds of nearly 55 miles per hour. There are also some species in other countries that have topped out at nearly 23,000 feet in altitude in order to fly over mountain tops.
There are still many things we haven’t learned about migrating birds yet, but one thing is clear, birds are a lot smarter and stronger than what meets the eye.
United Country Real Estate is your leader in recreational property for sale nationwide. Learn more at www.UnitedCountry.com.
Sources:
https://abcbirds.org/blog/five-fantastic-bird-migration-facts/
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/the-basics-how-why-and-where-of-bird-migration/