Sedentary, wintering and migratory birds: list, photos with names. How migratory birds differ from wintering ones: presentation for preschoolers. Do migratory birds nest in the south? What birds are the first and last to arrive in the spring and fly away in the fall? Seasonal

Abnormal bird behavior worried European bird watchers. The migration of birds to the south fell sharply. For the first time more than 80 years of observations! At the same time, some species, on the contrary, flew away earlier. Experts are racking their brains over the reasons for this unusual behavior.

Every day, the already poor catch of bird watchers is getting smaller. Here, at one of the largest stations in Europe, birds are caught using nets. They are marked by putting on special rings on their paws, and they are released to fly further into warm regions. Earlier, the head of the station Vytautas Jusis says, there were so many birds migrating for wintering that they did not have time to ring everyone during the migratory season. And now the networks are practically empty.

"From September 1, the largest trap in the world usually begins to work, and we are waiting for the largest migration to begin, when the flocks fly. Usually between 10-15th. These dates have passed - and no," says the head of the ornithological station Vitautas Yusis - For the whole September, 8 thousand were caught. Usually 20-30 thousand, but not this year. "

According to the ornithologist, there are so few birds during the migration period here for the first time in the history of observation. Tourists and local schoolchildren who regularly come here on excursions are a little upset.

The ornithological station at the Lithuanian Cape Venta is on the migration route of over 100 bird species. Usually at this time here you can see how the flocks one after another heading south, even with such a strong wind. However, now there are practically no birds in the sky.

According to ornithologists' data, birds delay their flight to warm regions almost throughout the entire Baltic region. In Estonia, ministry representatives environment even asked the residents through the media asking them not to feed the birds. Otherwise, if they go too late to warm lands, then along the way they may simply die.

But, perhaps, the main question that scientists are now puzzling over is: why have thousands of birds changed the established tradition for centuries? One of the main versions is climate change.

“After all, our climate is gradually getting warmer and warmer. That is, they can stay longer, some can survive here all winter, find food,” says chief Specialist of the Estonian Ministry of the Environment Ullar Rammul.

According to observations of meteorologists, the climate in many European countries has recently moved a month forward. Spring comes in April and winter in January. This knocks down the biological clock of the birds.

Weather changes are also taking place in Russia. True, they are expressed not in seasons shifts, but in so-called anomalies. Such as the summer heat in 2010 or the record-breaking rainy September in the metropolitan area this year. However, it is too early to draw a conclusion on how exactly the climate will change in the near future, according to weather experts.

"Weather anomalies always happen. They have different signs. They are not directly related, each individual anomaly is not associated with climate change, because the climate is an average over 30 years, over several decades, this is a certain stable regime," says the leading scientific Mikhail Lokoshchenko, employee of the Department of Meteorology and Climatology of the Geographical Faculty of Moscow State University

The trend, which scientists call stable: in general, in recent years, the average annual air temperatures are rising both in Asia and in Europe. This changes the habits of some birds on the territory of Russia.

“Some of our Russian birds also stay for the winter. For example, we all know well the ducks on the Moscow reservoirs, which were once real migratory birds, but now they more and more often stay within the city for the winter. Because there is food, there is non-freezing water - quite favorable conditions for wintering, "says Evgeny Koblik, senior researcher at the Moscow State University Zoological Museum.

There are exceptions to all the rules. Unlike most birds, swans in Europe this year left for the winter unusually early - almost a month ahead of schedule. What this is connected with is still a mystery for ornithologists.

How is a flock of migratory birds built? and got the best answer

Answer from Ain [guru]

Various structure of migratory flocks. A - cranes; B - ducks, geese; B - waders, starlings
Most birds fly in flocks, only a few species fly alone. Flocking is beneficial for orientation, reduces predator damage, synchronizes bird behavior, and possibly facilitates transfer of experience. There are various structures of the flock - a line, a string, a wedge, and more complex ones - multi-layered.
The flight of birds is a hereditarily fixed phenomenon that arises as a result of the dispersal of a species to new territories or changes in the conditions of existence in its homeland.
In the first flocks, the most well-fed birds fly, which are a kind of scouts. Birds move with throws, alternating flight hours with rest days when fat reserves are replenished.
Most of the birds migrate day and night, only a few species only during the day.
In many birds, males and females simultaneously participate in a long flight, which favors the rapid creation of nesting pairs and the accelerated reproduction in conditions of a short stay at home.
Joint flight gives a certain benefit in saving energy to overcome oncoming air currents, especially for large birds: swans, cranes. geese, sandpipers, therefore, it is typical for them to line up one after another. Such lines are single, double parallel to each other or at an angle (key).
Other birds fly in long chains (ducks), starlings, waders. finches, buntings or scattered hooded crows, jackdaws fly in dense flocks (herds).
WHY DO BIRDS FLY IN A V-SHAPED WEDGE?
The explanation for this phenomenon is that the birds following behind benefit from the supporting air flow generated by the birds in front. According to another, this formation provides the birds with proper spacing, direction of flight and communication in the group.
When flying short distances for food, saving energy is significantly less important than accurate orientation and avoiding mid-air collisions. On the other hand, during long-distance migrations, it is very beneficial for each member of the flock to find the optimal position to conserve energy.

Answer from Companion[guru]
construction. birds have a wedge (cranes), a line (ducks), a loose mass (pigeons, passerines). The size and shape as well as the distance between individuals are variable, which is an adaptation to various environmental conditions. between individuals there are different forms of signaling, such as acoustic

Migratory birds are like Mother Nature itself: they are the embodiment of her cyclical nature. In the spring they return to our land along with the blessed warmth, and in the fall they fly to the south, carrying it away on their wings. No matter what happens around, no matter how complex and changeable life is, no matter what happens to people, this law of nature works flawlessly every year: birds fly away, swim in the fifth ocean, and we look at them from the windows of our houses.

During their life, many migratory birds cover a distance comparable to the distance from the Earth to the Moon during their migrations. The officially registered bird flight record for wintering was almost 22 thousand kilometers. This is more than half the diameter of the Earth's equator. Before such a long journey, migratory birds diligently eat off, gaining fat reserves: during a flight for food, they will rarely be distracted.

Cranes, swans and some other birds fly in V-shaped wedges for a reason: this shape of the flock reduces air resistance and makes it easier to fly, saving up to 20 percent of energy.

In cognitive classes, we tell children about the reasons for the departure of birds. The fact that birds that live in the field, in swamps and reservoirs fly away for wintering, because the water begins to freeze, and they cannot be saturated. The birds that live in the forest cannot find insects in winter. That there are several leaders in the bird flock. They take turns flying first, cheering the others on and keeping them off course. Creativity often becomes a continuation of cognitive activities.

10 crafts on the topic "Migratory birds"

The master class "The cranes are flying, kurlychut" can be found at MAAM.

Here's a great example of a simple and beautiful one. It was made using accordion-folded paper.

And these feathered friends are made, wound on a cardboard base.

A swift swallow was portrayed using creative.

But time does not stand: cold autumn comes into its own, so we must again.

... and also the swans. None of the waterfowl can match them in natural grace. In these crafts, swans are depicted using the technique of volumetric applique.

In such classes, children systematize their knowledge about birds, about their varieties and about the place of each species in wildlife. In addition to the educational value, these events are also ecological in nature. After all, expanding knowledge about birds, we at the same time instill in children a respectful attitude towards our native nature.

Wonderful pictures with migratory and wintering birds. Which birds stay in their homeland for the winter, and which ones fly away?

Walking in a park or forest, we listen to birds singing and often just don’t think about which bird is so gloriously displaying trills. There are birds that live in our area all year round, but there are those who fly to the "warm lands" in the fall.

The fact is that in winter it is very difficult for birds to find food for themselves, because insects, berries and grains become scarce, and when it snows, it is almost impossible to find them. AND different types birds solve this problem in different ways: migratory birds fly hundreds and even thousands of kilometers to warmer countries, and sedentary ones adapt to our harsh winters.

A tit in the snow that apparently wants to feast on sunflower seeds

Sedentary, wintering birds: list, photo with names

To help the birds that stayed overwintering to find food, they hang feeders. And it is quite possible that they will be of interest to such visitors:

Sparrow... Noisy sparrows that fly in flocks may well become the first visitors to the feeder.

Tit.Tits are in many ways not inferior to sparrows, they quickly rush to feed in the feeders. But compared to sparrows, tits are endowed with a more meek disposition. Interestingly, in summer, the titmouse eats almost as much food as it weighs itself. Mixed flocks of both sparrows and titmice can often be observed in the feeders.

Gadget... A close relative of the tit. However, the breasts of the chickweed are not yellow, but light brown. Also, the titmouse differs from other tits in that it makes a hollow in a tree in order to build a nest in it.

Gaichka - a special type of tit

Crow. The raven is often confused with rooks. It is known that crows are very rare in western Russia. Therefore, if you live in the European part of Russia and see a black bird emitting a piercing croak, then most likely in front of you is a rook.

Dove.The distribution and lifestyle of pigeons was largely influenced by people who simply brought them with them to different parts of the Earth. Now pigeons are found on all continents with the exception of Antarctica. Pigeons easily change rocks that are natural environment their habitats, for buildings created by man.

The nodding gait of pigeons is due to the fact that it is easier for them to see the object of interest.

Woodpecker.In the warm season, woodpeckers feed mainly on insects, which they get from under the bark of trees, and in the winter cold, they can also eat plant foods: seeds and nuts.

Magpie. The magpie is considered a bird with high intelligence, it is able to express a lot of emotions, including sadness and knows how to recognize its reflection in the mirror. It is interesting that not only its brethren, but also other birds, as well as wild animals, in particular bears and wolves, react to the alarming cry of a magpie.

Magpie - wintering bird

Owl... Owls are different, large and small, in total there are more than 200 species. These birds are endowed with sharp eyesight and excellent hearing, which allows them to lead a nocturnal lifestyle. Interestingly, the tassels on the owl's head are not ears, the real ears of owls are hidden in feathers, and one of them is directed upward, and the other downward, in order to better hear what is happening overhead and on the ground.

Owl - nocturnal bird

This bird is also considered an owl and is a close relative of other owls.

A rare owl that lives mainly in the highlands in the northern latitudes. The name of the bird, according to various versions, means "inedible" or "insatiable".

Jackdaw.Outwardly, jackdaws look like rooks and crows, moreover, there are mixed flocks, in which you can see all three species of birds. However, the jackdaw is smaller than a crow. And if you are lucky enough to observe the jackdaw up close, then you can easily recognize it by the gray color of part of the feathers.

Nuthatch. This small bird very dexterously climbs the trunks of trees. In summer, nuthatches hide seeds and nuts in the bark, and in winter they feed on these supplies.

Crossbill. Like the nuthatch, this bird is excellent at climbing trees and can hang upside down on branches. Crossbill's favorite food is seeds from spruce and pine cones. This bird is remarkable in that it can hatch chicks even in winter, but only if there is enough food.

Bullfinch. Only males have bright red plumage on the chest, females look much more modest. Bullfinches are more often seen in winter, as due to lack of food, they are drawn to people. In summer, bullfinches prefer wooded areas and behave inconspicuously, so it is not easy to see them.

Waxwing... A bird with beautiful plumage and a singing voice. In summer it feeds mainly on insects and likes to settle in coniferous forests. In winter, the waxwing moves to the more southern regions of the country, it is often found in cities. In the cold season, mountain ash and other fruits become the main food for poultry.

Jay. A large bird, which, however, can fly to feast on a feeder hung by people. In summer, it is rarely seen in the city, but closer to winter, the bird begins to reach for human habitation.

Kinglet. One of the smallest birds, the weight of an adult male is only 5-7 grams. Kings are relatives of sparrows.

Kinglet - an inhabitant of the forests

... A large bird that is a favorite trophy for many hunters. Pheasants can fly, but more often they move on foot.

Grouse... It is also an object of hunting, despite the fact that this bird is quite small. The weight of an adult hazel grouse rarely reaches 500 g. It is interesting that the largest population of these birds lives in Russia.

Grouse - a bird that has a relationship with the black grouse

Another bird that is related to the hunting industry. Black grouse are found at the edge of the forest and in the forest-steppe.

Falcon... It is considered one of the smartest birds on the planet and one of the best hunters. The falcon is able to work in tandem with a human, but it is very difficult to tame it.

... Like a falcon, it is a bird of prey. The vision of a hawk is 8 times sharper than a human. And rushing after prey, the hawk can reach speeds of up to 240 km / h.

Migratory, nomadic birds: list, photo with names

Rooks differ from crows with a gray-yellow beak. In the Kuban and Ukraine, you can see how in the fall rooks gather in huge flocks, so large that the sky seems black from the birds soaring in it - these are rooks that fly to the south. However, rooks refer to migratory birds only conditionally, some of them remain to winter in central Russia, some winter in Ukraine, and only some birds fly to the warm shores of Turkey for the winter.

they love to fly to the newly dug ground, sometimes they fly right behind the plowing tractor in order to have time to get as many worms and larvae as possible from the dug ground.

This inconspicuous birdie with a singing voice loves warmth, and therefore flies south in the fall. And for wintering, our native nightingales have chosen hot Africa. These birds fly to winter in the eastern part of the continent - Kenya and Ethiopia. However, locals cannot enjoy their singing, because nightingales sing only during the mating season, which they have in their homeland.

Swallow.Swallows love rocky terrain; they often settle on the steep walls of quarries that people have dug. However, our winters are too harsh for swallows, and therefore in autumn they fly away to the southern, far from us, part of Africa or to Tropical Asia.

Chizh... Like the rook, it is a migratory bird that arrives early and hibernates nearby: in the Caucasus, Kazakhstan and southern Europe. Outwardly, siskins are inconspicuous, their gray-green feathers are absolutely not striking against the background of branches. The bird's temper matches the appearance: quiet and meek.

Goldfinch. In Europe it is a wintering bird, however, in Russia goldfinches can only be seen in summer. By winter, goldfinches gather in flocks and go to lands with warmer climates. Goldfinches are close relatives of siskins.

Goldfinch is one of the most colorful birds

A slender bird that runs quickly on the ground and shakes its tail with every step. Wagtails spend winter in East Africa, south Asiaand sometimes in southern Europe.

Quail. The only bird from the order of chickens that is migratory. The weight of an adult quail is not so great and is 80-150 g. In summer, quails can be found in the fields planted with wheat and rye. Quails hibernate far beyond the borders of our homeland: in the southern part of Africa and in southern Asia, on the Indian subcontinent.

Thrush... The songbird with its sweet trills creates a worthy competitor to the nightingale. AND appearance him, like a nightingale, inconspicuous. In winter, thrushes become Europeans: Italy, France and Spain are their second homeland.

Lark... Larks return from warm countries very early, sometimes already in March you can hear their sonorous song, which becomes a harbinger of spring warmth. Larks overwinter in Southern Europe.

Gull... With the onset of cold weather, gulls living on the coasts of the northern seas migrate to the Black and Caspian seas. But over the years, seagulls are more and more drawn to people, and more and more often remain to winter in cities.

... Swifts winter in Africa, and they fly to its equatorial part or even go to the southern part of the mainland.

Starlings really need nesting houses, since most often they breed their offspring in them. And our starlings go to winter in Southern Europe and East Africa.

This freaky black cloud is a flock of starlings returning home

Finch... Finches from the western part of the country winter mainly in Central Europe and the Mediterranean, while finches that live near the Urals in summer go to winter in southern Kazakhstan and southern regions Asia.

Chaffinch - a noisy inhabitant of the forest

Heron... It is quite difficult to determine where the herons winter, some of them travel great distances to South Africa, some winter in the Crimea or the Kuban, and in the Stavropol Territory, herons sometimes even stay overwintering.

Crane... These birds are monogamous, and once having chosen a partner, they remain faithful to him all their lives. Cranes live in swampy areas. And their wintering places are as diverse as those of herons: Southern Europe, Africa and even China - in all these parts of the world you can find cranes that have flown from Russia to winter.

Stork... There are black and white storks in Russia. White storks build huge nests, which are up to one and a half meters wide, and make very long flights to the south. Sometimes they overcome half of the planet and fly to South Africa - a country that is located in the very south of Africa.

Swan... The swan is a bird of devotion and romance. Swans are waterfowl, therefore, for wintering, they choose places near the water, often the Caspian or Mediterranean Sea.

Duck... Wild ducks in winter, as a rule, do not fly far away and remain in the vastness of the post-Soviet states. It is noteworthy that their domestic relatives in the fall also begin to worry and sometimes try to fly away, sometimes they even fly over fences and fly insignificant distances.

... Cuckoos settle in forests, forest-steppe, and steppe. The overwhelming majority of cuckoos migrate to winter in tropical and South Africa, less often cuckoos winter in South Asia: in India and China.

... A small bird with a singing voice and bright plumagethat flies off to winter in the tropics.

... They wake up at dawn and are among the first to start the morning song. This little songbird used to be called the robin. Overwintering robins fly to Southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, returning home among the first.

How migratory birds differ from wintering ones: presentation for preschoolers

Slide 2

Slide 3: presentation of migratory birds

Why do migratory birds fly to warm lands, where they winter, why do they come back?

Winter is an ordeal for birds. And only those who, in harsh conditions, can get their food, remain to winter.

What could be the ways for birds to survive in cold weather?

Some birds store food for the winter in summer. They hide plant seeds, nuts, acorns, caterpillars and larvae in the grass and cracks in the bark of trees. These birds include the nuthatch.
Some birds are not afraid of people and live near residential buildings. In winter, they find food in troughs and garbage heaps.
Some birds are predators and feed on rodents. there is predator birdsthat can feed on hares, hunt fish, small birds and bats.

If a bird can find food for itself in winter, then it does not need to go on an exhausting and difficult flight to warmer regions in the fall.

It would seem that everything is simple, and the only reason for the seasonal migration of birds is the lack of food. But in reality there are more questions than answers. For example, imagine that a mallard, which is a migratory bird, is provided with an artificially heated pond and ample food. Will she stay for the winter? Of course not. She will be called on a long journey, a strong feeling that is difficult to explain, called a natural instinct.

It turns out that birds fly away to warm regions, as if out of habit, because their ancestors did this for hundreds and thousands of years.

Another question to be answered is: why do birds return from warm countries every spring? Ornithologists have concluded that the beginning of the return flight is associated with the activation of sex hormones and the beginning of the breeding season. But why should birds fly thousands of kilometers and hatch chicks exactly where they themselves were born? Poets and romantic natures say that birds, like people, are simply drawn to their homeland.

How do migratory birds know where to fly? A question to which to this day there is no intelligible answer. It has been experimentally proven that birds can navigate in completely unfamiliar terrain and in conditions of limited visibility, when neither the sun nor the stars are visible. They have an organ that allows you to navigate the earth's magnetic field.

But the mystery is how young individuals, who have never flown to warmer regions before, find their own wintering place, and how do they find out the route to fly? It turns out that in birds, at the genetic level, information is recorded about the point on the map where you need to fly and moreover, a route to it is drawn.

Do migratory birds nest in the south?

Birds wintering in warm regions do not lay eggs or hatch chicks, which means they do not need a nest. The nest is needed only for chicks, which migratory birds will incubate in their homeland.

What birds are the first and last to arrive in the spring?

The first to arrive in the spring rooks... These birds return to their homeland in early spring, when the first thawed patches appear in the snow. With their strong beak, rooks dig out larvae on such thawed patches, which form the basis of their diet.

The last to arrive are birds that feed on flying insects. These are swallows, swifts, orioles. The diet of these birds consists of:

Komarov
Moshek
Blind man
Zhukov
Cicad
Butterflies

Since the appearance of a large number of adult flying insects from the larvae requires warm weather and about two weeks of time, the birds that feed on them fly home after the massive appearance of these insects.

Which birds are the first and the last to fly away in autumn?

With the onset of autumn cold weather, insects complete their active life cycle and hibernate. Therefore, birds that feed on insects are the first to fly to the warm regions. Then birds fly away, feeding on plants. Waterfowl are the last to fly away. For them, even in autumn, there is enough food in the water. And they fly away before the water in the reservoirs begins to freeze.

VIDEO: Birds fly south

What migratory flock of birds promises snow?

By folk signsif a flock of wild geese - you should expect the first snow to fall. This omen may not coincide with real weather events. So in the north of Russia geese fly away to warm regions in mid-September, and snow can fall much earlier. Let's say the first snow in Norilsk this year fell on 25 August. In the south, geese fly to warmer regions at the end of October, and sometimes even at the beginning of November. The first snow in these areas may occur at this time. But it all depends on the weather conditions in the fall. Indian summer here can drag on for the whole of October.

VIDEO: Geese gather in flocks for flights to the south

Which bird from the order of chickens is migratory?

A migratory bird from the order of chickens is quail... The quail's habitat extends beyond Russia in the west and south. In the east, these birds live up to the western coast of Lake Baikal. They are widespread in Europe, Western Asia and Africa.

They fly south for the winter. And they winter in Hindustan, North Africa and Southwest Asia.

VIDEO: How do migratory birds fly?

In Europe, the end of summer, and the swallows in the villages gather in flocks. In the evenings, you can watch an amazing sight - endless rows of graceful birds chirping on wires. Here are young birds born this year, and their parents, who nested in summer under the roofs of houses. In a few days, all the swallows will disappear until next spring.

On wings across seas and deserts

The Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) nests in northern Asia, Europe and North America. All barn swallows are migratory birds, but the farthest journeys are made by those that nest in Europe.

Swallows from Germany first cross France, then fly over the Pyrenees to Spain, and then fly through Gibraltar or the Mediterranean Sea to North Africa. During the flight across the sea, weakened birds often drown in the waves. And the survivors fly even further, through the Sahara, where it is difficult to get food. Here the flocks thin out even more: young, less experienced birds die especially often. If swallows are caught in a hurricane or sandstorm in the desert, they land on the ground and wait out bad weather. Although swallows fatten up a lot of fat before the flight, those of them who cannot find enough food on the way are doomed to die.

Having flown over the Sahara, the swallows head further south. Some stay to winter a little south of the desert, others fly to central Africa and even beyond the equator. In Africa, birds rest for several months - they bask in the warm sun and feed on infested insects.

When winter ends in Europe, the birds are ready to return to their homeland again. They fly the same route, and the same dangers lie in wait on their way. In February, "scouts" are the first to appear in southern Europe, but the majority will arrive here only in late March - early April. Swallows, nesting in the northernmost regions, still fly over Central Europe in mid-May. A round-trip flight is given to pilgrims at a high price: of the birds that set off in the fall, only half will return to their homeland.

Long distance flyers

The long annual voyages of gray petrels are a continuous search for food-rich waters. These large seabirds with long, narrow wings nest in the Southern Hemisphere, from Cape Horn to islands in the South Atlantic. Gray petrels hatch chicks when summer is in the Southern Hemisphere and then migrate northward. Some birds fly over the Pacific Ocean, others over the Atlantic.

“Atlantic” gray petrels fly along the American coast to Greenland, where they turn east and find themselves off the coast of Europe. They then set off again south along the eastern shores of the Atlantic and reach their nesting sites in November or December, at the beginning of the southern summer.

Travel around the world by air

When albatross chicks grow up, adult birds set off on a journey around Antarctica, covering tens of thousands of kilometers in several months and only briefly sinking into the water to grab prey from its surface. Young birds travel even longer - 9-10 years, until they become completely adults (albatrosses live for several decades): relatives who are going to hatch their chicks drive them from their nesting sites, and the young are forced to wander willy-nilly. During their wanderings, the exiles sometimes find new suitable nesting sites on islands off the coast of Antarctica and breed chicks there when they reach puberty.

Arctic terns, relatives of gulls, fly to the other end of the world to winter. In summer they nest in the polar regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In the fall, some populations of terns fly south to winter across the Pacific Ocean, others across the Atlantic to the polar regions of the Southern Hemisphere. After waiting there for the northern winter (at this time it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere), the birds return to the Arctic to hatch their chicks. The total length of their flight over the ocean in both directions is about 40,000 km - a real trip around the world!

Nature abhors a vacuum

Why migratory birds, overcoming incredible difficulties and risking their lives, fly so far? Insectivorous birds are forced to leave temperate latitudes to get to places where they will find food for themselves in winter. In winter, granivores fly away from the northern regions to the middle lane, because there is less snow, warmer and more food. Glaciers, flycatchers, nightingales and other small birds fly to the tropics for 3000-4000 km. When storks, pelicans and some birds of prey fly south from Central Europe and Eastern Siberia to winter, geese, ducks, cranes, blackbirds, finches and buntings arrive in their place from Scandinavia and the northern regions of Siberia.

Do the robins fly to the south, which in the gardens and parks Western Europe often seen all year round? Partly. In some parts of Europe, the robins leave their "summer apartments" for the winter and migrate to the south, but their place is immediately taken by the robins from the north.

Before embarking on a long journey, many migratory birds fatten up - its reserves will provide them with energy during a long flight. That is why, after the chicks leave, the birds leave their nesting sites, where the food reserves are depleted, and begin to wander around the surroundings. Sometimes their diet changes: warblers, blackbirds and many others carnivorous birds in late summer and autumn, they often feast on berries and fruits in the gardens. Especially a lot of fat should be accumulated by birds forced to make long non-stop flights over the sea. For example, the variegated forest songbird living in the eastern United States goes to winter in South America in the fall. Most of the way, the bird flies over Atlantic Ocean, overcoming more than 3000 km without landing. The singer will have enough strength to cover such a huge distance only if the mass of fat that he manages to accumulate before departure is equal to his body weight.

Most birds are not capable of such feats. During the flight, many of them stop at special places to rest and partially restore the used up fat reserves. Usually, places where there is a lot of food and few predators serve as such "transfer points" for birds. For about 300 species of European birds, the Camargue Nature Reserve in France has become such a recreation area. The Mediterranean islands, the Volga delta and other large rivers are also popular. Many birds prefer to stay here for the winter.