Brrrrrr! It's getting cold! Some animals have a cunning plan to
escape the cold weather - they migrate. Migration
is a journey that an animal takes regularly, usually at the same
time every year.
Animals that migrate in winter are moving to a warmer place or
country where there is more food available.
Lots of birds migrate. Some migrate from the UK to Africa and
southern Europe in winter. Some birds migrate from northern Europe
to the UK. Who'd have thought the UK would be a pleasant place to
spend the winter?
How do birds know where to go?
Some birds migrate over 70,000 kilometres! How do they know
where to go? Why don't they get lost? They don't have maps or sat
navs. Scientists think there are a several different methods that
birds use to navigate. Sometimes birds use a combination of these
- Some birds have magnetite above their
nostrils. This helps them to use the Earth's magnetic field to
- Some birds navigate use landscape features, such as coastline,
mountains or even motorways!
- Some birds use the position of the sun and stars to
Pretty impressive! Could you navigate without a map?
Sometimes migration has to be taught!
Some birds learn the migration routes from their parents. If the
birds are raised in captivity, humans have to teach them, using a
plane! Have a look at this video of whooping cranes being taught to
Can you migrate?
Your name is Swallow. Simon Swallow to be precise. It's cold and
dark in wintery Britain. Your feathers aren't keeping you warm any
more. There are no insects for you to eat. Your mission is to
migrate to sunny South Africa. Will you make it?
I'm sorry, it appears you do not have flash installed.