<p>During the early hours, in September and October, the skies of Pangti, a tiny village in Nagaland, see tens of thousands of Amur falcons rising in the gloom. These birds are on their epic journey covering over 2,400 miles, flying over the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.</p>.<p>On the way, they stop over in Pangti and surrounding villages to snack on the termites, resulting in the single largest gathering of raptors (birds of prey) on Earth. Like many long-distance migratory birds, the falcons escape the frigid winters of Siberia and fly to the warm and food-rich Southern Africa.</p>.<p>Bird migration has fascinated people for more than three millennia. But it's only recently that we have begun to understand how birds move. Long-distance migrators, which fly for thousands of kilometres, use flyways or flight paths to complete their voyage.</p>.<p>Birds take their cue to migrate based on the changes in the length of the day, temperatures and food supplies. Specific genes are also known to play a role in migration.</p>.<p>They navigate the flyways by getting a sense of direction through the Sun, stars, Earth’s magnetic field or ‘in-built memory’. Recent studies have shown that birds reorient themselves using the Earth’s magnetic signature when they lose their way.</p>.<p>To understand how birds migrate, scientists usually tag or ring them, use data from satellites and even track migration with images from the International Space Station.</p>.<p>The long, arduous journey of these winged beauties may now be under threat. Climate change, reduction in food availability, destruction of habitats in their stopover places, light pollution, poaching and predation are some of the dangers they face.</p>.<p>In recent years, several countries have signed agreements to save migratory flyways used by birds and minimize the threats they face. Every year, the second Saturday of May is celebrated as World Migratory Bird Day to raise awareness and highlight the need to conserve migratory birds and their habitats.</p>.<p>The next time you take a cross-continental flight, do spare a thought for the Arctic terns that migrate from the Arctic region all the way to Antarctica!</p>
<p>During the early hours, in September and October, the skies of Pangti, a tiny village in Nagaland, see tens of thousands of Amur falcons rising in the gloom. These birds are on their epic journey covering over 2,400 miles, flying over the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.</p>.<p>On the way, they stop over in Pangti and surrounding villages to snack on the termites, resulting in the single largest gathering of raptors (birds of prey) on Earth. Like many long-distance migratory birds, the falcons escape the frigid winters of Siberia and fly to the warm and food-rich Southern Africa.</p>.<p>Bird migration has fascinated people for more than three millennia. But it's only recently that we have begun to understand how birds move. Long-distance migrators, which fly for thousands of kilometres, use flyways or flight paths to complete their voyage.</p>.<p>Birds take their cue to migrate based on the changes in the length of the day, temperatures and food supplies. Specific genes are also known to play a role in migration.</p>.<p>They navigate the flyways by getting a sense of direction through the Sun, stars, Earth’s magnetic field or ‘in-built memory’. Recent studies have shown that birds reorient themselves using the Earth’s magnetic signature when they lose their way.</p>.<p>To understand how birds migrate, scientists usually tag or ring them, use data from satellites and even track migration with images from the International Space Station.</p>.<p>The long, arduous journey of these winged beauties may now be under threat. Climate change, reduction in food availability, destruction of habitats in their stopover places, light pollution, poaching and predation are some of the dangers they face.</p>.<p>In recent years, several countries have signed agreements to save migratory flyways used by birds and minimize the threats they face. Every year, the second Saturday of May is celebrated as World Migratory Bird Day to raise awareness and highlight the need to conserve migratory birds and their habitats.</p>.<p>The next time you take a cross-continental flight, do spare a thought for the Arctic terns that migrate from the Arctic region all the way to Antarctica!</p>