Bird migration, a perilous journey - Alyssa Klavans
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0:06 - 0:10Each spring, nature lovers eagerly greet the signs
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0:10 - 0:12that winter is finally coming to an end.
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0:12 - 0:13As the days grow warmer,
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0:13 - 0:15the flowers and trees start to bloom,
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0:15 - 0:17and the world comes alive
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0:17 - 0:18with the melodious call of birds
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0:18 - 0:20in search of a new mate.
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0:20 - 0:22But where have these enchanting sounds
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0:22 - 0:24been hiding all winter?
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0:24 - 0:26For almost 200 species of song birds,
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0:26 - 0:28their winters have been spent
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0:28 - 0:29down in the tropical climates
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0:29 - 0:32of Central and South America.
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0:32 - 0:33While this may sound ideal,
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0:33 - 0:35it involves one of the most perilous journeys
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0:35 - 0:38known in the entire animal kingdom.
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0:38 - 0:40This journey is called migration,
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0:40 - 0:41and for song birds,
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0:41 - 0:43this can involve travelling somewhere
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0:43 - 0:46between a few hundred to almost 7,000 miles
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0:46 - 0:47in a period of several weeks
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0:47 - 0:49to four months.
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0:49 - 0:50Birds spend weeks preparing
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0:50 - 0:51for the intense journey
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0:51 - 0:53by gorging on large quantities of food,
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0:53 - 0:55sometimes doubling their weight
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0:55 - 0:57prior to departure.
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0:57 - 0:58While flying, birds can lose
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0:58 - 1:01almost one percent of their body weight an hour,
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1:01 - 1:04so packing on the pounds is crucial to their survival.
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1:04 - 1:06However, more than the physical stress,
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1:06 - 1:08migrating birds are now facing
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1:08 - 1:10a new source of hardship:
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1:10 - 1:12landscape change.
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1:12 - 1:13Just imagine you're the one
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1:13 - 1:15getting ready to take a trip.
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1:15 - 1:16You've packed the car
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1:16 - 1:17with everything you think you need,
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1:17 - 1:18fueled up the tank,
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1:18 - 1:20eaten a huge breakfast,
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1:20 - 1:21and hit the road.
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1:21 - 1:23You've taken this journey before.
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1:23 - 1:25You know all your favorite rest stops
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1:25 - 1:27and little back-alley diners to grab a bite.
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1:27 - 1:29Everything is planned out.
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1:29 - 1:31But just as your fuel gauge starts
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1:31 - 1:32dipping into the red zone,
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1:32 - 1:34you pass by what should have been a gas station,
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1:34 - 1:36except it's closed.
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1:36 - 1:37"Not a problem," you think,
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1:37 - 1:40"The next one can't be too far away."
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1:40 - 1:42But then that next station never appears.
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1:42 - 1:45Unfortunately, as you continue on your route,
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1:45 - 1:48the reality of the situation starts to set in.
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1:48 - 1:50More and more stations are closed
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1:50 - 1:52or just erased from your map.
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1:52 - 1:54All of a sudden, your routine trip
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1:54 - 1:55has become a desperate search
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1:55 - 1:57just to find somewhere safe to rest
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1:57 - 1:59and refuel for the night.
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2:00 - 2:02This scenario has become the reality
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2:02 - 2:04for the majority of migrating song birds
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2:04 - 2:07as human land development continues unchecked.
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2:07 - 2:09Humans are altering important stop-over sites
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2:09 - 2:12that birds have been using for generations.
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2:12 - 2:14As migrators pass over the continent,
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2:14 - 2:16they run a gauntlet of dangers,
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2:16 - 2:19including pesticide ingestion in rural farmlands,
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2:19 - 2:21habitat loss in suburban developments,
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2:21 - 2:24as well as disorientation from light pollution,
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2:24 - 2:25and even structure collision
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2:25 - 2:29with tall, reflective glass buildings in cities.
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2:29 - 2:31Of the estimated 20 billion individual birds
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2:31 - 2:34that comprise the fall population,
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2:34 - 2:36only about half will return
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2:36 - 2:37to breed the following spring.
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2:37 - 2:39Almost one billion of these deaths
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2:39 - 2:42are attributed just to building collisions.
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2:42 - 2:44With such astounding yearly losses,
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2:44 - 2:46humans risk more than just the loss
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2:46 - 2:48of the beautiful colors and songs of birds,
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2:48 - 2:51they also play an important role in the ecosystem.
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2:51 - 2:54Birds help with insect control,
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2:54 - 2:55pollination,
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2:55 - 2:57and disbursing seeds throughout the landscape.
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2:57 - 2:59Without birds, the natural world
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2:59 - 3:00would be a very different place.
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3:00 - 3:02Although birds face an on-going threat
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3:02 - 3:04from human land development,
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3:04 - 3:06there are actions that we can all take to help.
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3:06 - 3:08Many countries and local governements
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3:08 - 3:09have already passed important laws
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3:09 - 3:12that restrict the use of poisonous pesticides.
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3:12 - 3:15By using more natural, plant-based products,
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3:15 - 3:17we can maintain our farms and gardens
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3:17 - 3:19without the dangerous side effects.
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3:19 - 3:22In addition, as our global populations continue to grow
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3:22 - 3:24and people need places to call home,
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3:24 - 3:26green spaces can offer both bird habitat
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3:26 - 3:28as well as a peaceful and natural place
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3:28 - 3:30for us to enjoy.
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3:30 - 3:31Small changes at home
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3:31 - 3:33can also make a huge difference.
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3:33 - 3:34By hanging up feeders
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3:34 - 3:37and building bird houses in outdoor areas,
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3:37 - 3:39we can provide much-needed food and safety
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3:39 - 3:41during long migrations.
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3:42 - 3:43Turning out lights in suburban
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3:43 - 3:44and urban environments
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3:44 - 3:45can also help birds
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3:45 - 3:47that look for stars to navigate.
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3:47 - 3:49With our help, these sky travellers
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3:49 - 3:51can reach their destination safely,
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3:51 - 3:55and hopefully keep returning year after year.
- Title:
- Bird migration, a perilous journey - Alyssa Klavans
- Description:
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View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/bird-migration-a-perilous-journey-alyssa-klavans
Nearly 200 species of songbirds migrate south for winter, some traveling up to 7,000 miles. No easy task, the annual journey is dangerous to birds due to landscape change -- so much so, that only half the birds that migrate south will return home for spring. Alyssa Klavans details why bird migration is so taxing and how we can assist our chirping friends.
Lesson by Alyssa Klavans, animation by Igor Coric.
- Video Language:
- English
- Team:
- closed TED
- Project:
- TED-Ed
- Duration:
- 04:10
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Andrea McDonough edited English subtitles for Bird migration, a perilous journey - Alyssa Klavans |