Polish Birds in spring - Spring migrations

We usually think: Polish birds leave in autumn, because they are afraid of winter. They fly away from cold and lack of food. But we can look at this phenomenon from a different perspective – birds arrive in spring, to take advantage of free space and abundance of food, to be able to bring up greater number of nestlings.

The majority of birds leave before they run out of food and before it gets really cold, so they never have a chance to find out how winter really looks like. Autumn migration starts just after the young are big enough to manage on their own. They follow their parents once they learn to fly. To conclude, the main reason to migrate is not to avoid winter but to take advantage of spring.

The migration season in Poland starts in February, when birds wintering in Poland set off to their breeding areas in the north; among these birds are snow buntings, whooper swans and long-tailed ducks.

First migrant larks can be observed in Poland as early as the mid February. When the winters are mild, also the more impatient cranes arrive in February. Yet the high migration season begins in March. First to set off are sea ducks, which spend winter in our country.

Simultaneously, long-tailed tits and other tits, that winter in Germany and Holland arrive to Poland. The first swallows may be observed as early as 14th March. Throughout March and April almost all birds which nest in Poland arrive here. The last to come are river warblers, common rosefinches, golden orioles and swifts. They arrive in May.

Within five months, from February to June, almost 200 species of birds come to Poland to breed and they leave after the breeding season in over. There are just some twenty species of strictly resident birds – they nest in Poland and stay here afterwards.

In spring birds travel much faster then in autumn. For example marsh warbler (smaller than a sparrow, dweller of dense thickets) travels in autumn for 6-7 months (i.e. 26-30 weeks), it stops for winter for 8-10 weeks, and again in spring migrates for 9-10 weeks.

In most cases spring migrations are a kind for race - males race against one another to be first in the best locality. Those, which arrive first can choose the best place to build a nest and the area abundant in food. Moreover, when a male arrives to its destination after a long flight it has to be strong enough to fulfill a breeding season demands. It has to protect its territory from other birds and be attractive enough to attract a female. Meanwhile, a female short after the journey has to lay eggs, rich in fat and proteins. Thus birds which arrive at their hatching habitats in poor condition have little chance for healthy offspring if any.

Source Tomasz Cofta

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Polish Birds in spring - Spring migrations