Around the worldIt's not only European birds that migrate; the whole world is criss-crossed with migration routes. In Asia, many northern species spend winter in the tropical south-east. Some, such as the spine-tailed swift, even get as far as Australia by flying down through the islands of Indonesia. In America, birds from the northern USA and Canada migrate to South and Central America. America has no seas or deserts to separate the north from the south, so migration is easier for birds that need to feed along the way. This explains why some tropical species from South America, such as the ruby-throated hummingbird, have extended their breeding range as far north as Canada. Heading northNot all migrants head south for winter. Some birds that breed in the southern hemisphere migrate north – such as the carmine bee-eater, which leaves South Africa in March (autumn in South Africa) and heads for East Africa.The southern hemisphere is like a mirror image of the northern hemisphere: it gets colder as you head further away from the equator. Really these birds are doing the same thing as European breeding birds – finding a winter home with more food and warmth. |
