Cyprus Birds
BIRDS
Life becomes a passion, if you tak off and go wherever you may please and freely live the way you heart desires. Whenever we think of freedom, we always seem to mention it together with birds, wishing and wanting to be as “free as the birds”. We have enviously watched them fly freely in the sky, diseppear again with the onset of spring.These are the reasons why we have studied and watched birds so closely for years, even thoug we have collected a great deal of data about them, we still find we haven’t been able to discover the magical characteristics which captive us. Today, we know that annually billions of birds begin to migrate thousands of kilometres commencing spring and autumn. Because of their migratory habits, birds stay active all year round sesonally feeding and taking advantage of nesting facilities in different regions of the world.In spite of this clear advantage, the price of migration can be dear, and the birds have to be physical strong in order to be able to cope with such long and tiring journeys. Most birds stock fat under their skin to facilitate the energy they need to make theri long trip. When the fat break up, it combines with the sama amount of carbonhydrates or protein, which provides the birds with twice the amount of energy and also produces water. It is because of this that the birds can complete their long journeys; even so the birds that are fortunate enougy to do this usually loose half of their average weight by the end of their journey. The less fortunate ones that are too weak to complete the journey, either end up as food for other birds of prey or die of diseases. Over half of the birds that migrate from the Northern hemisphere never return. But for whatever reason and risks there mya be, migration still continues to be part of their lives they cannot relinquish and hast its advantages. There is a clear difference in the migratory habits of birds that glide, and of those that actively flap their wings while flying. Because gliding birds rely on thermal informaiton to fly along the shorelines during the day and where land masses are closest to each other along the caostline. On the other hand, many songbirds and water birds do not rely on the geograhic structure of the land and migrate at night in wide g
Another phenomenon is that during migratory flight the birds from a V-shape. They benefit from flying in this orderly fashion because when each bird flaps its wings, it creates a current of air which lifts the bird behind it. A group of geese flyin in the V-formation increase their flight distance by using the air currents they create. By flying in this form a group, can double the maximum distance they can cover singularly . Migratin birds also tak weather conditions into consideration. They will not embark on a long journey if air pressure and wind conditions are not suitable. Anoteher factor that mystifies humans and is a great point of curisosity is their ability to find direction, which is till a mystery no one has been able to reaveal to date.Because of their many mysterious characteristics and dazzling colours, they are of great interest to scientists and bird watchers a like. As a branch of eco-tourisim, bird watching provides intersted tourists the opportuniyt of visiting these areas. Because