Entomology, Ornithology & Herpetology: Current Research
Open Access

Influence of environmental factors on bird migration

Yuuka Murakami^{* *}Correspondence: Yuuka Murakami, Department of Biology, Utkal University, Odisha, India, Tel: 114062491, Email:

Author info »

Editorial

Bird migration is the natural seasonal movement, often along a south-north flight path, between breeding and wintering regions. Migratory birds fly several kilometers in search of the best environmental conditions and habitats to feed, breed, and raise their young. Migratory behavior in birds has been classified into the following categories: Latitudinal, longitudinal, vertical or altitudinal, total, partial, irregular or vagrant, diurnal, seasonal, and nocturnal Siberian cranes. Flamingos are migratory birds often seen in India during the winter season. The Asiatic sparrow hawk migrates to India and Myanmar in winter. A swallow, a small bird, migrates from southern Africa to southern England. The most common mutual pattern is that birds migrate to the moderate or arctic northern hemisphere to breed in mid-summer and then migrate south to warmer regions for winter. Most birds follow one of four main migration routes in North America that most birds follow between their winter and summer ranges. No bird migration list is complete without mentioning Arctic tern records. This medium sized bird has the world's longest known migration, travelling 90,000 kilometers (55,923 miles) from pole to pole each year, from Greenland in the north to the Weddell Sea in the south. Migratory birds help with seed dispersal, which leads to the conservation of biodiversity along their routes. Ducks can carry fish eggs to new bodies of water in their intestines. Bird droppings, also known as guano, are rich in nitrogen and act as an organic fertilizer. As daylight decreases at breeding sites in the northern hemisphere and food availability decreases, birds begin to migrate to wintering grounds in the south. It’s a natural survival process. There are many different migration patterns. Most birds migrate from the northern breeding areas to the southern wintering areas. However, some birds breed in southern Africa, migrating to northern wintering grounds or horizontally to enjoy the milder coastal climate in winter. Not all birds migrate, but most do. In fact, about 75% of birds in North America are migratory. They do this for a variety of reasons, such as finding a richer food source or a better climate. The Baltimore oriole, one of our focus species along the east coast, migrates south in winter. When the days get shorter in late summer, birds suffer from hyperplasia: They overeat for two weeks or more to store fat before migrating.

During this time, birds eat high energy berries and fruits that are rich in carbohydrates and lipids that are stored as fat. Caribou have the longest land migration. A Mongolian grey wolf has been documented to travel more than 4,500 miles in one year. Caribou are often credited with having the world's longest land migrations, albeit without much scientific support. While rising temperatures appear to be the driving force, the exact impact on bird behavior may vary from species to species. Bird migrations are believed to be influenced by a variety of factors, such as the availability of food or the growth of new plants.