Migratory Flyways
ICAO APAC Workshop
05 – 06 May 2025
Migratory Flyways
What are Avian Migratory Flyways ? Why are they important to us?
A flyway is defined as the geographical area covered by a migratory bird over the course of
its annual cycle, while travelling from its breeding grounds to the non-breeding areas and
back.
There are eight major flyways worldwide:
1. Pacific Flyway (North and South America)
2. Central Flyway (North and South America)
3. Mississippi Flyway (North and South America)
4. Atlantic Flyway (North and South America)
5. East Atlantic Flyway (Europe, Africa)
6. Black Sea-Mediterranean Flyway (Europe, Middle East, Africa)
7. West Asia-East Africa Flyway (Asia, Africa)
8. Central Asian Flyway (Asia)
9. East Asia-Australasia Flyway (Asia, Australia, Pacific)
Why Do Birds Migrate Every Year?
Birds migrate primarily for survival—to access better food resources, breeding grounds, and
favourable climates. Key reasons include:
1. Food Availability – Many birds leave colder regions where food becomes scarce (e.g., insects,
seeds) and migrate to warmer areas with abundant resources.
2. Breeding Opportunities and Success – Birds migrate to regions with optimal nesting
conditions, lower predation risks, and suitable temperatures for raising chicks.
3. Climate Adaptation – Seasonal changes in temperature force birds to move to areas where
they can survive harsh winters or extreme summer heat.
4. Daylight Hours – Longer daylight in summer provides more foraging time, supporting better
chick growth and survival.
5. Genetic Programming: Migration behaviour is inherited; birds have innate cues (daylength,
temperature) that trigger departures and guide navigation along established flyways.
Migration is an energy-intensive journey, and birds rely on stopover sites along flyways to rest
and refuel.
How do Birds Navigate ?
• Birds use a combination of remarkable
senses, innate abilities, and environmental
cues to navigate.
• Magnetoreception
• Celestial Cues
• Landmarks
• Olfaction (Sense of Smell)
• Polarized Light
• Examples:
• Arctic Terns migrate over vast distances
(pole-to-pole) using a mix of magnetic
fields, celestial navigation, and visual
cues.
• Homing Pigeons are famous for their
ability to return to their lofts from distant
locations using magnetic fields and
olfactory cues.
Murmuration
What is Murmuration?
• Murmuration is a mesmerizing aerial display where thousands of birds,
usually starlings, fly together in a highly coordinated, fluid-like formation.
• These dynamic patterns in the sky appear almost like a living cloud, shifting
and changing shape in perfect synchronization.
• There is no fixed leader, position or direction.
• The space between any two birds is fixed and their motions sunchronised.
• Position of the bird in the flock changes continuously.
© BirdGard Australia. Not for redistribution
Why Do Birds Form Murmuration's?
Birds engage in murmuration's for several reasons:
1. Protection from Predators – The swirling motion and rapid shape
changes confuse predators like hawks and falcons, making it harder for
them to target a single bird. The rapid, shifting movement creates an
illusion of a large, unpredictable mass, discouraging attacks.
2. Social Bonding – Murmuration's help birds communicate and maintain
strong flock cohesion, especially during roosting.
3. Navigation and Roosting – Starlings often use murmuration's to guide
each other toward communal sleeping sites.
4. Environmental Awareness – Scientists believe that murmuration's
help birds share information about food sources and changing weather
conditions.
© BirdGard Australia. Not for redistribution
• Where and When Can You See Murmuration's?
• Best Time: Late autumn and winter, just before sunset.
• Best Locations: Open fields, wetlands, and near roosting sites such
as reed beds or urban structures.
• Murmuration's are one of nature’s most fascinating spectacles,
showcasing the beauty of collective movement in the animal
kingdom.
• How Do Birds Stay in Sync?
• Each bird in a murmuration follows a simple rule: it reacts to the
movements of its seven closest neighbours, creating a chain
reaction that ripples through the entire flock. This rapid response,
combined with natural instincts, results in breathtaking, coordinated
motion without a single leader.
© BirdGard Australia. Not for redistribution
Flocking Rules Adopted by Birds
• Basic models of flocking behaviour are controlled by three simple
rules:
• Cohesion Rule: This rule encourages birds to stay within a certain range of each
other, promoting flock stability and allowing them to benefit from the collective
advantages of being in a group.
• Separation Rule: Birds actively steer away from neighbours that are too close,
essentially creating a personal space bubble around themselves. This prevents them
from bumping into each other or getting too close, which could lead to collisions or
disruption of flight.
• Alignment Rule: Birds also align their direction of flight with their neighbours,
contributing to the overall coordinated movement of the flock.
© BirdGard Australia. Not for redistribution
Bird Biology - Eyesight
1. Exceptional Visual Acuity 4. Double Fovea
• Birds have the sharpest vision in the animal • Many birds, ( eg. swallows, have two foveae (the
kingdom. Eagles, for instance, can see prey part of the retina responsible for sharp vision),
from over 3 kilometres away. allowing them to focus on multiple points
• Raptors like hawks and falcons have 5–8 times simultaneously.
better visual resolution than humans. • This helps them track moving prey while flying at
high speeds.
2. Wide Field of View
• Many birds have eyes on the sides of their 5. Rapid Processing Speed
heads, providing a wide field of view (up to • Birds perceive more frames per second than
360° in pigeons). humans. Humans process about 24 frames per
• Predatory birds like owls have forward-facing sec, pigeons can process up to 75 frames per sec.
eyes, giving them excellent depth perception. • This allows birds to react quickly to fast-moving
objects, crucial for flying and hunting.
3. Colour Vision Beyond Human Capabilities
• Birds can see ultraviolet (UV) light, unlike 6. Adaptations for Different Lifestyles
humans. This helps them spot prey, mates, and • Nocturnal birds like owls have large eyes and more
even trails of urine left by small mammals. rod cells , allowing enhanced vision in low light.
• Plumage that looks dull to humans may appear • Diurnal birds have more cone cells, enhancing
16-05-2025
vibrant in UV light, aiding in mate selection. colour vision and sharpness.
Thank You
