Wintering birds are those that remain in their native land all year round. Animals are guided not so much by air temperature as by their personal abilities and the specific food supply of the region.
Warmth in cold weather is only provided by well-fed birds. This means that a wintering bird must be able to find food among the snow. Accordingly, insectivorous species migrate in winter. There remain those who are content with berries, seeds and predators who hunt mice and hares. There are about 70 wintering bird species in Russia.
Pigeon
Their body temperature, like that of other birds, is 41 degrees. This is another proof that birds don’t mind frosts if they have food. not easy wintering birds, but “tied” to a specific place. Flying thousands of kilometers away from their “native nest”, the gray ones always return back. People took advantage of this by starting to send letters with pigeons.
Having taken them to the recipient, the birds returned. Scientists debate how birds find their way home. Some refer to magnetic fields. Others believe that pigeons navigate by the stars. Pigeons are loyal not only to their native lands, but also to their partners. Birds choose a pair once and for life, like swans.
Pigeons are very attached to their habitats and do not leave them if there is food.
Sparrow
Group of wintering birds consists of several types. There are two people in Russia: urban and field. The latter is typical for rural areas. The total number on the planet is close to a billion. Accordingly, one bird for 8 people.
Considering that birds feed on grains, this is a threat to the harvest. The People's Republic of China even carried out an action to destroy sparrows. Having found out that they could not fly for more than 15 minutes, people frightened the birds, preventing them from falling to the ground. Approximately 2 million individuals fell dead. However, in the absence of sparrows, it multiplied - another delicacy for birds. She ate the harvest instead of the birds.
Like pigeons, sparrows tend to choose one partner for life. At the same time, birds have hot blood. Instead of 41 degrees, the sparrow's body heats up to 44 degrees. This is typical for small birds. They lose energy faster. It’s interesting that a sparrow’s neck has twice as many vertebrae as a giraffe’s. It's a matter of the length of the fragments. Sparrows have flat ones.
Crossbill
This bird of the finch family has a bent, crooked beak. Its structure is determined by its function. With its beak, the crossbill picks up grains from cones. At the same time, a characteristic click is heard. Hence name of wintering birds.
Despite the adaptability of the beak, it is not possible to remove all the pine nuts. Cones thrown by birds are cleaned up. Males of the species are red-brown, and females are gray-green-yellow. Birds become like this by the age of 3. As adults, crossbills do not exceed 20 centimeters in length and weigh about 50 grams.
The intelligence of ravens, by the way, is comparable to the development of 5-year-old children. Birds decide the same logic problems. One of the indicators of intelligence is the way it protects nests. Crows throw stones at enemies, lifting them in their tenacious paws.
Birds are unpretentious when it comes to food; they eat grains, vegetables, and bread. Birds often destroy the nests of other birds. But the favorite delicacy of ravens is carrion. There is a lot of it in winter, because not all animals can withstand the cold. Here birds And remain to spend the winter.
In years when food is poor, polar owls migrate to the forest-steppe zone. The bird is large, up to 70 centimeters in length. The bird gains 3 kilograms of mass. Harry Potter held about that much in his hand. The hero of JK Rowling's work often used the services of Boucli. That was the name of the white owl who served as a messenger for the wizard.
Kedrovka
Bird feeding pine nuts. For them, the bird has a sublingual pouch. It carries about 100 nuts. The Russian taiga is rich in cedar trees, which means that the bird has no reason to fly away in winter. Some of the cones remain on the trees in winter.
We hide the nutcracker nuts that do not fit into the sublingual sac within a radius of 2-4 kilometers from the tree on which they ripened. In winter, supplies are buried in snowdrifts, and in summer in the ground. In Russia there is a monument to the nutcracker. It is located in Tomsk. The Siberian city is surrounded by cedar trees. Residents of the region know and love their inhabitant, admiring her all year round.
Owl
Listed in Red. The feathered species easily endures Russian winters, but cannot adapt to the decline due to the destruction of the taiga of its patrimony. However, eagle owls are capable of living in captivity. In zoos and private owners, birds lived up to 68 years. In nature, the age of an eagle owl is limited to 20 years. Like White Owl, hunts rodents, hares, and martens.
Birds catch them around the clock. The main activity occurs at night. During the day, eagle owls often sleep. Eagle owls swallow small prey whole. The birds first tear large victims into pieces that can fit down the throat. There have been recorded cases of eagle owls attacking young roe deer and wild boars. This indicates the impressive size of the birds.
Nuthatch
The bird has a bluish back and a white belly. The sides of the bird are red with black stripes. The paws have curved sharp claws. With them, nuthatches dig into tree trunks, quickly and deftly moving along them. The bird is looking for hidden insects and their larvae. The nuthatch's sharp, long beak allows them to get them in winter. The bird uses it to explore every crevice in the bark.
They prefer to settle in oak forests. Where oak trees do not grow, birds choose parks with deciduous plantings. Nuthatches look for trees with hollows, settling in them. If the entrance to the house is wide, it is coated with clay. Nuthatches do this work in the warm season.
Nuthatches prefer to survive the cold by nesting in tree hollows.
Yellow-headed wren
The only thing smaller than it is the hummingbird. The bird has a yellow crest on its head that resembles a crown. This association prompted the name feathered. It doesn't look like a king, because it's the size of a dragonfly. The weight of the bird is about 7 grams.
Kinglets live in coniferous forests. Unlike hummingbirds, Russian dwarf birds tolerate harsh climates. Even in winter, kinglets manage to find insects and their larvae. A bird eats as much food per day as it weighs.
Chizh
Considered migratory. However, some siskins remain for the winter in Russia. The birds are ready to survive the winter here next to non-freezing reservoirs. Birds make nests in the roots of trees nearby.
Not big birds They camouflage their homes so skillfully that they became heroes of the legend of the invisible stone. Our ancestors believed that such a crystal was placed under the nest, hiding it from prying eyes.
Wintering species also include hazel grouse and partridges. They warm themselves by burying themselves in snowdrifts. Under the snow, the birds look for food - last year's grains and herbs.
Black grouse even uses snow as a warm place to sleep
In severe frosts, birds try to avoid flying. The body area increasing when the wings are open leads to greater heat loss. The bird risks freezing instead of catching prey or getting to places with better weather.
Wintering birds of Russia
Let's take a closer look at the species of birds that remain to spend the winter in Russia.
Since not all types are listed in the picture above wintering birds of Russia, for the sake of completeness, let’s name them: Sparrow, Crows, Pigeon, Woodpecker, Nutcracker, Crossbill, Yellow-headed Wren, Partridge, Coal, Tawny Owl, Nuthatch, Hazel Grouse, Waxwing, Tit, Bullfinch, White Owl, Jay, Magpie, Black Grouse, Eagle Owl, Tap Dancer , Lentil, Siskin, Goldfinch, Schur.
A children's song about autumn says:
Birds fly south
Geese, rooks, cranes.
This is the last flock
Flapping its wings in the distance.
Ducks, swans, swallows, starlings, larks, nightingales, cuckoos, wagtails and various other species also fly away, most of which are familiar to city residents only from pictures. But there are many who remain.
Why are frosts not terrible?
And what birds stay for the winter? Who is not afraid of harsh Russian frosts and deep snow? What birds can you see all year round in the city and in the forest?
Not only for warmth, but also for food. If there is something to feed in the cold, they do not fly away. Warm plumage, the ability to flock together, the ability to hide in various buildings and human help allow the birds to survive the winter. Although prolonged severe frosts can sharply reduce their numbers. In many fairy tales northern peoples It says: “It was so cold that the birds froze in flight.”
City dwellers
The question of which birds remain to spend the winter in the city is easy to answer. Pigeons wait in their usual places to feed. every morning and evening they fly in flocks from their overnight stay to big trees in courtyards and parks outside the city and back. Magpie, common crow, and jay can be seen near houses.
The sound of a woodpecker knocking on an old tree in the park can be heard far in the frosty air. In winter, it is even easier to find it by the sound and crushed bark lying on the snow and to see it among the bare trees.
Increasingly in big cities middle zone You can see ducks and even swans on ice-free reservoirs, fed by people. Although until recently, these wintering birds, photos of which are widely presented in the specialized literature, were very rare. Reducing harmful emissions from enterprises helps to increase the number of bird species in the city, which is an indicator of the well-being of its ecology.
Old acquaintances
Wintering birds, whose names are familiar from childhood: sparrows, siskins, goldfinches, whistle merrily at the windows and balconies, where they have already been fed, different types tits - great and tufted, chickadee and coal tit, long-tailed tit, as well as nuthatch.
It is difficult to see tits in the city in summer, but by winter they migrate closer to human habitation and can fly to a familiar window for several years in a row.
Flocks of bright bullfinches and waxwings noisily fly from one rowan tree or small-fruited apple tree to another, leaving a lot of pecked berries on the snow. During a thaw, overripe berries can ferment, and then the birds, having eaten them, act like they are drunk. They become disorientated, hit walls and fall.
These are wintering birds, the names and photos of which are a symbol and decoration of the harsh season. The appearance of bullfinches and waxwings always attracts attention and pleases.
The Science of Kindness
Wintering birds become an object of study and care for children. Together with parents and teachers, they make and fill feeders, and see who flies to them. They observe how wintering birds behave if they have to share food. Kindergarten and an area with feeders attract sparrows, tits, and pigeons from all over the area. Grain, seeds, table scraps, pieces of lard are in great demand in these poultry canteens.
A heavy pigeon can overturn a hanging feeder, we have to innovate various designs for small birds.
It's always interesting to watch cheeky sparrows snatch crumbs and seeds from under the noses of important pigeons. Magpies chirp and jump, respectable crows walk. Such lessons in communicating with living nature are very memorable for children. Knowing which birds remain to spend the winter in the city, preparing for their appearance, and feeding them in harsh times is very important. This is the science of kindness for a child.
What birds stay in the forest for the winter?
The north is buried in snow even in winter, rivers and lakes freeze. They are waterfowl and fly south. But observant skiers, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts know what birds winter in our forests.
In cold weather, you can hear and see tits, woodpeckers, crossbills, and nutcrackers in the forest. Some species of blackbirds fly away, but fieldfare and blackbird can remain to winter at latitude Leningrad region, especially when bountiful harvest rowan. Most often, old males remain.
Large birds such as wood grouse, black grouse, partridges and hazel grouse easily find food and can hide in the snow from predators.
Predatory hawks, owls, owls, eagle owls, and owls winter in their nesting areas, although some species migrate from more northern regions. They can be found not only in the forest, but also in parks, gardens, cemeteries, and in holiday villages, where they hunt small birds and rodents.
Taiga game
If someone has seen and heard a flock of large birds take off noisily from under their feet, they are unlikely to ever forget the fear and surprise of such a meeting.
The smallest representatives of wild chickens, quails, winter in Africa and South Asia. But their relatives hazel grouse, black grouse, wood grouse and partridge have always been a desirable winter and spring prey for Russian hunters. Taiga game meat has a subtle resinous flavor and is highly valued.
Deep snow serves as a home and bed for these birds. In the evening, a flock of stones falls into a snowdrift from the trees and hides in it from the frost and wind. And in the morning it takes off to feed on pine needles and buds again. In severe frosts, a flock can remain in the snow all day.
But a snowdrift can also become a grave for birds if a hard crust forms on it, and hazel grouse or partridges do not have enough strength to break through it and get out.
And when the first thawed patches appear, the time comes for the mesmerizing display of wood grouse and black grouse. During mating songs they do not hear anything, which is why they got their names.
Thrifty nutcracker
The long winter forces some birds to make substantial reserves. Among Siberian fishermen there is an expression: “The nutcracker has dropped all its cones.” The point is that in a year when there are few pine nuts, this bird stores almost the entire harvest. Nutritious, rich in tasty and healthy oils, nuts help to survive the harsh winter and raise chicks in the spring. The nutcracker makes tens of thousands of nuts, 10-20 pieces each, in secluded places and remembers them for several months! Some of the reserves, of course, are stolen by other inhabitants of the taiga, from chipmunks to bears; forgotten “treasures” sprout and give rise to new groves of Siberian pine.
Winter chicks
What other birds migrate to places where a lot of seeds are born? coniferous trees, and manage to fearlessly hatch chicks in February?
The spruce crossbill lives in our country. Beautiful motley birds with tenacious paws and a crossed beak deftly extract and bite the seeds, then drop the cones to the ground.
In January-February they begin to build warm, two-layer nests. The male brings food to the female sitting on the nest, she incubates the eggs for a little over two weeks, and then the parents feed the chicks for another three weeks. Sometimes crossbills postpone nesting until spring and hatch their chicks only in May.
Life doesn't stop
It is no secret to the curious observer that not only the familiar tits, pigeons and sparrows winter near us, but also tap dancers, buntings, bee-eaters, wrens and three to four dozen other species. During trips and walks, you can get acquainted with a wide variety of birds, learn to distinguish their voices and tracks in the snow. There were even mobile applications, allowing for field conditions identify birds by their voices.
Hang a feeder from plastic bottle or pouring crumbs from the table onto the windowsill is not at all difficult, but it is so interesting to watch the birds and understand that life in nature does not stop even in winter.
All children know that many birds leave their homes with the onset of cold weather. northern latitudes and go on long journeys in a southerly direction. Why is this happening? Yes, because under thick snow it is more difficult to look for food, bugs and ants that you can feast on in the summer, and the air temperature becomes too low. However, not all the inhabitants of the heavenly heights leave our latitudes. We will now consider in detail which birds fly south and which remain in their homeland.
Reasons why birds change their home
Each bird is a representative of the fauna, and at the same time a separate kingdom among all animals. These creatures are warm-blooded, their body temperature averages 40 degrees. With the onset of severe frosts, birds begin to feel a lack of warmth; feathers and down are not enough to cope with the frost. However, this situation is not inherent in every species of this kingdom. Sparrows, magpies, crows, tits remain in their places, in temperate latitudes, since the structure of their body, the number of feathers, as well as subcutaneous fat are much higher than that of the nomadic celestial inhabitants. As a result, answering the question: “What birds fly south?” - we can say that first of all those who, for physiological reasons, cannot cope with severe frosts. By the way, if a bird lives in a more southern region (Rostov-on-Don, Belgorod), then it does not leave its lands due to the cold. But if her homeland is Norilsk, then the flight to a more southern region is an integral part of her life cycle.
Food is an important criterion in choosing a place to live
When talking about which birds fly south, the nutrition factor cannot be overlooked. Most of them are insectivores, therefore, in winter their diet is reduced to zero. Birds that feed only on bugs and insects reach those lands where snow does not fall at all, so that their food remains complete. Among them are finches, thrushes, jackdaws, and rooks. They also actively eat insects like buntings, warblers, and dawns. Also, when discussing which birds fly south due to a lack of their usual food, swallows cannot be missed here. They're in summer time capable of eating such large insects as dragonflies, chafers and the like directly on the fly. In winter, it is therefore impossible to meet them in our latitudes.
What birds fly south in autumn?
With the first cold weather, the most heat-loving inhabitants of the sky leave our country. Among them we highlight swallows, rooks, starlings, siskins, buntings, cranes, thrushes, and larks. Of course, large birds such as herons, cranes, storks, ducks, swans, hoopoes, orioles and cuckoos also migrate to warm countries. The reason for the flight of these birds is considered to be a lack of food, in particular, all the insects that lived in the summer hibernate or die out. They are the first of all to fly to southern regions and are the last to return to their homeland. This is why swallows can only be seen on the street starting in April. And they return to their lakes no earlier than May.
Let's consider which birds fly to distant countries in winter
When the cold has already taken over, birds can leave our region only if the frosts are too severe, or if there is no food such as crumbs, grains, or seeds on the streets at all. Tits, blackbirds, and woodpeckers often go to warmer countries, and sometimes bullfinches leave our lands. Such inhabitants of the sky easily tolerate frosts, so the only thing that can make them fly away is a lack of food.
- flycatcher,
- starling,
- Garden warbler,
- robin,
- martin,
- lark,
- shrike,
- kingfisher (although its name is winter, it also cannot withstand the cold and prefers warm cities).
In autumn, with the onset of cold weather, many birds leave their lands and fly to hotter countries. main reason- lack of food. Birds feed on large and small insects. And, as you know, you won’t find them in winter.
The most famous migratory birds include ducks, cranes, rooks, swallows, blackbirds, swans, starlings, storks, herons, larks and others. In total, there are about sixty species of birds in Russia that fly to warm countries for the winter.
Already in September, cranes leave their native lands. This is due to the fact that cranes are herbivores. They feed on seeds and grasses. True, this does not apply to all cranes, but only to those who live in the northern part of Russia.
The first to fly away are the birds that fed on insects. They simply have nothing to eat, for example swallows or starlings.
Among the migratory birds that fly to the south and southern countries at the first frost:
Pritits have adapted in this way - to survive. After all, in winter period the amount of food is limited, and if there are no reserves or the opportunity to get it (the same woodpecker finds worms and larvae in its lungs, it has no special competitors in this area of food).
Then you have to fly away, where the bird can easily find food.
Then in the spring the migration comes back to us, to their native places.
The first birds to fly south are the oriole, the cuckoo, starlings, swallows, nightingales, siskins, larks, and wagtails. A little later - cranes, kingfishers... Well, when bodies of water (lakes and rivers) freeze, geese and ducks take to their wings.
Migratory birds They do not all fly south together and not at the same time. Departure to warmer climes lasts from late summer to late autumn.
Nightingales are among the first to fly away. Back in August, they are already preparing for ooting and fly away at the end of August.
Also, blackbirds, orioles, and cuckoos are among the first to fly away.
Storks and swallows fly away relatively early - around the beginning of September.
A little later the starlings fly away. They gather in huge flocks and fly through fields and gardens in search of food throughout the beginning of autumn. Vineyards are often damaged at this time.
Waterfowl are the last to fly away.
The first to fly south are the most heat-loving birds, such as swallows, rooks, starlings, siskins, buntings, thrushes, larks, large birds: herons, cranes, storks, ducks, swans, wild geese.
The reason why these birds leave our region is considered to be a lack of food: small cold-blooded and warm-blooded animals hibernate or die.
They are the first of all migratory birds to fly to the southern regions and the last to return.
People have been paying attention to the migrations of birds since ancient times, marveling at their ability to fly to warmer regions in the fall and return in the spring. With the arrival of cold weather, many birds that lived in cities, forests and fields hit the road. Moreover, some of them move to a new place of residence in late August-early September, when it is still warm.
The swifts fly away first, which is due to the fact that they fly high, where it is much cooler than below. It is at altitude that the insects on which they feed disappear first. And here swallows They set off a little later, since they fly lower than the swifts and they feel the lack of flying food later.
After the swifts and swallows, birds fly to warmer climes, for which plants serve as food. But for waterfowl geese and ducks There is no need to rush, because they find food in reservoirs right up to the formation of an ice crust on the water. Therefore, they are the last to leave for the south.
On the eve of cold weather, many birds intuitively fly to warmer regions.
In autumn you can say goodbye to such birds as
At the same time, these birds fly away very early in the fall. Following them they leave the cold lands:
Of course, the first to fly to the south will be those birds for which the cold is absolutely contraindicated, that is, those that are heat-loving by nature. And these birds include, first of all, songbirds such as nightingales and orioles, which at the end of summer are preparing to fly away. Cuckoos, swifts, and swallows are also early birds in this regard.
With the arrival of cold weather, many birds that delighted us with their beauty and their singing fly away to warmer climes.
Some migratory birds say goodbye to their habitat just before the frosts, and there are others that fly south at the beginning of autumn or even at the very end of summer. The latter include songbirds: nightingales (end of August), cuckoo, and oriole. It is impossible not to mention swallows and swifts.
All birds are usually divided into migratory and wintering birds.
Moreover, all birds are warm-blooded. The main reason for the migration of some birds to the south is not temperature conditions at all, but rather the lack of food in winter. Wintering birds are able to get food for themselves in the cold season, while migratory birds rush to warmer areas in search of food.
The first to fly away are birds that feed on insects - swallows, starlings, rooks, larks, thrushes, wagtails.
After it becomes difficult to find seeds or fruits under a layer of snow or leaves, granivorous birds - siskins, buntings, finches - fly away.
IN last resort waterfowl ducks and geese fly away when rivers and ponds begin to become covered with a crust of ice.
For a long time, the first sign of the approaching autumn cold was considered to be a truly beautiful sight, when birds gathered in flocks and flew away to warmer climes. Why are they leaving us? And why do they always come back with the onset of warm spring days?
Migratory birds
Birds are warm-blooded creatures. Their body temperature is forty-one degrees. Thanks to this, they would feel great on frosty days. So why do they fly away? Birds cannot stay for the winter because during the cold seasons it is almost impossible for them to get food. Some fly away due to the cold weather. They migrate to warm regions to preserve most of the individuals.
Migratory birds, that is, those who leave our area in winter and fly south, include many species of birds. Among them are lapwing and swallow, wagtail and chaffinch, robin and oriole and redstart, tree pipit and lark, and chiffchaff.
When and how do birds fly away?
The moment when birds leave our region can be influenced by the weather. However, as a rule, this happens at the same time. The autumn flight begins only when the young birds become stronger.
Most birds gather in flocks. But there are also those who fly in groups. Some species fly away alone.
The cranes line up in a beautiful wedge in the sky. But crows are usually placed in a chain. There are species of birds in which the males fly away later than the females. In some birds, the young immediately leave the inhabited area. Older individuals follow them after some time.
Birds try to move during the day and rest at night. For some species, migration time is night.
Resident birds
Not all representatives of the feathered world leave their inhabited areas. Some stay for the winter and delight us with their songs on frosty days. They live in their homeland all year round, which is why they are called sedentary. The capercaillie does not leave its place. He eats pine needles and therefore does not have to look for food in winter. They eat hazel grouse and black grouse. They are also not going to fly anywhere in the fall. But is the jay a migratory bird or not? This species of birds is sedentary. The jay eats plant and animal food. She loves acorns. With its beak the bird easily splits the shell of these oak fruits. In autumn, jays store acorns in huge quantities. One bird, according to some sources, makes reserves weighing up to four kilograms.
Woodpeckers and titmice also belong to the sedentary species. But the crossbill even hatches chicks in winter. At the same time, it feeds on spruce seeds.
Nomadic birds
There are species of birds that bark to another place if, for some reason, things don’t work out for them in their native area. favorable conditions. These are, as a rule, birds that live in the highlands. With the onset of severe cold, they migrate to the valley.
Birds are amazing creatures. In some places they can live as sedentary animals, and in others they can be migratory.
Why do birds fly away
The cuckoos are the first to leave our region. Behind them are swallows, and a little later - swifts. From late August to September, several species change to a warmer climate.
What are the reasons for bird migration? Birds fly away with the onset of cold weather. However, the main reason for their migration is not the change of season. Decisive factor is the lack of food. Thus, a cuckoo eats up to a hundred caterpillars in one hour, and during cold weather the insects disappear. Most of them die, leaving a large supply of eggs from which offspring will hatch in the spring. Some insects hide in secluded warm places.
In summer the stork feeds on small fish and frogs. In winter, he is not able to get food for himself, which is under the crust of ice covering the reservoirs. Birds that cannot get food for themselves fly south. They don't have any problems with food there.
Annual cycle of birds
The life of birds, as well as other animals, on most of our planet is subject to changing seasons. The only exceptions are those areas where tropical forests are located.
The annual cycle of birds consists of four main stages. The first of these is the breeding season. Then comes molting, the seasonal migration of birds. The last stage is wintering.
As for seasonal migrations, they are not a continuous period for birds. There are flights in spring and autumn. At the same time, they are separated from each other by the wintering stage. The spring migration of birds can be considered as a phenomenon that is partially associated with preparation for the breeding stage. Autumn migrations are a search for food to preserve the species.
Migration routes
Where do birds fly in the fall? Ornithologists were able to answer this question in detail. By banding migratory individuals, they established wintering sites various types. To which warm regions do birds fly? The suitability of a particular area for wintering is determined, of course, by its ecological situation. However, birds do not always fly to places that are located close to their nesting and have favorable conditions. To a greater extent, competition with other populations of a similar species, which strive to occupy the most convenient wintering areas, plays a role here. Thus, birds arriving from areas further north may be located in more southern latitudes.
From Europe, birds can fly not only in a southern direction. They also winter in the west. England gives shelter to many northern and central European birds. This country has favorable climatic conditions for birds, which are characterized by light snowfalls and mild winter. Lapwings and sparrows, woodcocks and other birds fly to England in the fall. However, more birds are attracted to the Mediterranean and southwestern regions of Europe.
Wintering places
To which warm regions do birds fly? A large concentration of birds is observed in winter in the Nile Valley. On African wintering grounds Some Arctic and Siberian birds are flying. Their numerous flocks are also located in the southern regions of China, India, and the islands of the Indo-Australian archipelago. Quails fly to the northern regions of Africa and the path of some bird species to wintering areas is very far. Thus, Icelandic sandpipers and East Siberian anemones reach the shores of New Zealand.
Research by ornithologists helps answer the question of where birds fly for the winter. Thus, by banding the birds, they established that our blackbirds and starlings rest in the south of France and Portugal. They settle in Spain and Italy. Ducks and cranes love to travel to the banks of the Nile. Hoopoes and nightingales winter in the African savannah.
Some species of waterfowl do not leave the territory of Russia. In cold seasons, they settle in nature reserves located in the Southern Caspian Sea. Mallard ducks can be found in winter in Transcaucasia. They rest on the Azov and Black Seas.
To what warm regions do birds living in the north of the American continent fly? Here their migration, due to the influence of the Gulf Stream, goes only in a southerly direction. Thus, Arctic terns, which live in the north of America, settle for the winter in the south of the continent. Sometimes these birds migrate to Antarctica.
What wintering sites do birds choose?
As a rule, birds settle where the habitat is similar to that in which they live in their homeland. If birds choose forests for their nesting, then these are the areas they will look for in areas with a warm climate. Birds living in steppes, meadows or fields will look for familiar conditions for settlement. This will allow you to find their usual food. Thus, the birds fly away to those regions where living conditions differ little from what they are used to.
They find their way to wintering places thanks to a superbly developed navigation system. For some birds, major landmarks are mountains, sea coasts, and so on. There are species that calmly cross the water surfaces of the ocean that are not very diverse.
Those bird species that fly during the day, those birds that travel in the dark, rely only on their own navigation system.
The winter cold will recede, and the birds that have flown to warmer climes will return home again. They will announce the arrival of spring with cheerful trills and will prepare for next stage own life.
Now you know to which warm regions birds fly. Good luck in your further study of birds!