2. INTRODUCTION
What is Migration?
Migration is the movement of animal from one place to another.
Or
It is seasonal movement from one place to another.
or
It is a response of animal population to changes in environmental
conditions.
3.
4. Types of Migration
There are six types of Migration:
1. Daily/local
2. Seasonal
3. Cyclic
4. Latitudinal
5. Altitudinal
6. Longitudinal
5. Daily/Local Migration
Many birds make daily movements from their nest in
response to environmental force such as light,
darkness ,temprature,humidity,and food availability.
Birds may make daily migrations from their resting sites
to feeding areas.
For example: a house sparrow does not undertake long
migration ,but it moves out everyday from its permanent
colony for feeding.
6. Seasonal Migration
Some birds migrates at different seasons of the year
for food or breeding, called seasonal migration, e.g.,
cuckoos, swifts, swallows etc. They migrate from the
south to the north during summer. These birds are
called summer visitors. Again there are some birds
like snow bunting, red wing, shore lark, grey plover
etc. which migrate from north to south during winter.
They are called winter visitors.
7. Cyclic Migration
Some migration of birds are seasonal but donot
occur at regular intervals .The cyclic migration of
the snowy owl in united states in winter occurs in
three to five years.
8. Latitudinal Migration
It is the migration from north to south or south to north.
It is the most common migration birds under take ,birds
migrate from north to south in the fall and in the opposite
direction the following spring.
Example: The American golden plower escapes winter of
America by migrating to Argentina.
Similarly siberian birds to go to Himalayas.
9. Altitudinal/ Vertical Migration
The altitudinal migration occurs in mountainous regions.
Many birds inhabiting the mountain peaks migrate to low
lands during winter. Golden plover (Pluvialis) starts from
Arctic tundra and goes up to the plains of Argentina
covering a distance of 11 250 km .
Birds migrate either in flocks or in pairs. Swallows and
storks migrate a distance of 9650 km from northern
Europe to South Africa. Ruff breeds at Siberia and travels
to Great Britain, Africa, India and Ceylon thus travelling a
distance of 9650 kilometers
10. Longitudinal Migration
Movements of birds from east to west or vice versa is known as
longitudinal migration.
Eg., evening grossbeaks that nest in northern Michigan spend
the winter in New England
California gulls that breed in utah migrate westward to winter
on the Pacific coast
Starling move from east europe or Asia to Atlantic coast.
13. Migratory Status
Birds are classified into four major categories acc. To their migratory status.
1. Permanent residents.
2. Summer migrants or summer visitors.
3. Winter migrants or winter visitors.
4. Transient visitors or passage migrants.