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The Arctic tern has the longest migration journey of any bird: it flies from its Arctic breeding grounds to the Antarctic and back again each year, a distance of at least 19,000 km (12,000 mi), giving it two summers every year. [18] Bird migration is controlled primarily by day length, signalled by hormonal changes in the bird's body. [19]
Many birds migrate in flocks. For larger birds, it is assumed that flying in flocks reduces energy costs. The V formation is often supposed to boost the efficiency and range of flying birds, particularly over long migratory routes. All the birds except the first fly in the upwash from one of the wingtip vortices of the bird ahead.
[34] [35] However most bird migration is in the range of 150 to 600 m (490–2,000 ft). Bird strike Aviation records from the United States show most collisions occur below 600 m (2,000 ft) and almost none above 1,800 m (5,900 ft). [36] Bird migration is not limited to birds that can fly. Most species of penguin (Spheniscidae) migrate by ...
Animal migration is the relatively long-distance movement of individual animals, usually on a seasonal basis. It is the most common form of migration in ecology. [5] It is found in all major animal groups, including birds, [6] mammals, [7] fish, [8] [9] reptiles, [10] amphibians, insects, [11] and crustaceans.
The bats eat moths, beetles, dragonflies, flies, true bugs, wasps, and ants. They usually catch flying prey in flight. [15] Large numbers of Mexican free-tailed bats fly hundreds of meters above the ground in Texas to feed on migrating insects. [16] The consumption of insects by these bats can be quite significant. [17] [18]
Bats feeding on insects over a lake. Different bat species have different diets, including insects, nectar, pollen, fruit and even vertebrates. [146] Megabats are mostly fruit, nectar and pollen eaters. [137] Due to their small size, high-metabolism and rapid burning of energy through flight, bats must consume large amounts of food for their size.
Insect migration is the seasonal movement of insects, particularly those by species of dragonflies, beetles, butterflies and moths. The distance can vary with species and in most cases, these movements involve large numbers of individuals.
Altitudinal migration is a form of short-distance migration in which birds spend the breeding season at higher altitudes and move to lower ones during suboptimal conditions. It is most often triggered by temperature changes and usually occurs when the normal territories also become inhospitable due to lack of food. [ 181 ]