Swift, swallow, woodcock, turtle dove, Bewick swan, sandwich tern, osprey and redwing
No, we're not just listing names of birds or gone cuckoo -
although that's one too. They're all
migratory birds that spend their summers or winters here in the UK. Who doesn't delight in sighting the first
swallow or hearing the first cuckoo heralding summer isn't too far away or
marvel at the flocks of redwing stripping the hedges of berries as winter
approaches (and thinks leave me some holly berries for the wreath - please).
It's an incredible life strategy to travel half way around
the world to breed and I often wonder how such extreme behaviour patterns came
to be evolutionarily successful, I mean couldn't a cuckoo find a similar small
song bird's nest closer to their African home to parasitise? And the little
house martins endure such long journeys travelling non-stop just to return to
the muddy cup that is their nest stuck to the wall above my sitting room window
and then working so hard all summer to raise one or two broods which they then leave
behind to fatten up and let them make their own way across the continents to winter
in the sunshine. Which is their home?
Here where they breed or there where they live and grow? BTO have been tracking 'our' cuckoos since
2011 and in that time we've learnt much about where they go and the routes they
follow to get back to us all the way from Africa.
They face many dangers on their journeys and on this World Migratory Bird Day (tomorrow 11 May) the organisers are highlighting the
scourge of our age: plastic by giving this year's days (a second day will be on
12 October) the theme: “Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution!”
The day is organised by The Convention on Migratory Species, the
African-Eurasian Waterbird Agreement and Environment for the Americas as an
annual campaign to raise awareness of the need for the conservation of
migratory birds and their habitats, pointing out the threats faced and
ecological importance of migratory birds.
They are asking people to: "Join the global campaign and help raise
awareness by organizing educational programmes, lectures, beach- and riverside
clean-ups, visits to bird-watching sites, competitions, art exhibitions and
other public events."
Find out more on the website: www.worldmigratorybirdday.org
Further information.
- RSPB: 10 best known migration stories.
- BTO: tracking cuckoos.
- UN Environment: Beat plastic pollution (for World Environment Day 2018).