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Sea or land?
Dunlins avoid the Sahara by flying down the coast
Over the sea
The Mediterranean sea forms a massive barrier for birds migrating between Europe and Africa. Some small birds, with enough energy to keep flapping, cross wherever they can. But many larger birds head for the narrowest crossing points.
Some go west, via Gibraltar, where the coast of Europe is only 25 km (15 miles) from Africa. Others go east, reaching Africa through Turkey and Israel. In spring and autumn, thousands of storks, kites and other large birds gather at these points. They wait for thermals – which only form over land – to lift them up high enough. Then the wind carries them over the sea.
Over the desert
The Sahara desert in North Africa is a vast wilderness of sand, rock and gravel, about as big as the United States. Days are scorching hot, nights are freezing cold, and with very little food or water, it is no place for migrating birds. Unfortunately, the Sahara lies right between Europe and tropical Africa, and over 500 million birds have to cross it twice a year.
Wading birds such as dunlins avoid the Sahara altogether by flying down the coast, feeding at estuaries along the way. But many land birds, such as cuckoos, cross it in one non-stop flight. Once they reach the other side, the exhausted migrants drop down in the first green space they find. They feed up quickly to regain energy for the final leg of the journey.
Last modified: 11 January 2005