Types of Migration in Birds

Types of Bird Migration

Daily migration

Many birds make daily movements from their nest in response to environmental forces such  as light, darkness, temperature, humidity and food availability. 

Birds may make daily migrations from their resting sites to feeding areas.

Examples:Crows, house sparrows, starlings, rockery herons, etc.

Local migration

Because of heavy rains, floods, excessive heat and cold, birds leave an area for some time and return when the crisis is over.

Flowering of certain plants and ripening of seeds also stimulate some birds to migrate locally.

Seasonal migration

Migration of birds in response to changes in the season is called seasonal migration.

In tropical and subtropical areas, this occurs in the beginning or end of warm season. 

In temperate areas, the movements are triggered by onset of winters.

The birds which rest in temperate zones, go to warmer areas.

Moult migration

In most ducks, males and juvenile birds migrate short distances northward for moulting leaving behind females and young birds in the breeding ground.

Cyclic migration

Some migrations of birds are seasonal but do not occur at regular intervals.

The cyclic migrations of the snowy owl in search of leming (chief food of snowy owl)in United States in winter occurs in three to five years.

Partial migration

In certain cases all the birds of a group of migratory birds do not leave the native land and hence are always represented by certain individuals.

 But these individuals are not always the same, e.g., redbreast, titmouse, finch, etc.

Vagrant or irregular migration

Some of the birds (such as herons) sometimes disperse for a short or long distance for the sake of food and safety. 

The birds can also be swept away by powerful winds and hurricanes (oceanic storms) to very  long distances.

Altitudinal or vertical migration

The birds living at high altitudes (hills) descend at lower altitudes in winter to save themselves from the intense cold of high altitudes. 

They return again to high altitudes with the advent of summer. 

The Himalayan white caped redstarts (Chimarrhornis) resides at a height of 8000 to 14000 feet.

During winter it descends to the height of 2000 to 8000 feet.

Latitudinal or equatorial migration

           The most familiar migrations are those from north to south and vice versa.

           The goldern plover of the Arctic tundra passes winter 13,800 km down south in the pampas of  Argentina.

            Cuckoo and storks pass summer in northern hemisphere and winter in south.

Longitudinal migration  

            Movement of birds from east to west or vice-versa is known as longitudinal migration.

           e.g., evening gross beaks (finches-like birds) that nest in northern Michigan spend the winter  in New England.

Diurnal and Nocturnal Migration   

            On the basis of their wing powers and method of getting food, William Brewster divided the birds into following three categories:

Night fliers :Night fliers are passerine birds (sparrows, titmice, jays, crows, etc.), cuckoos and wood-peckers. Darkness provides them protection from large predatory birds.

Day fliers : They are large birds such as hawks, pigeons, swallows and robbins, etc. Few birds such as geese and ducks, migrate both by night and day.