Wild ducks belong to the category of migratory birds that are forced to migrate annually to warm countries. This is required for birds to survive. The main reasons for migration include lack of nutrition and unfavorable climatic conditions. Birds carefully prepare for migration. They gain weight and teach the young to move long distances. So where exactly do ducks spend the winter?
Why do birds need wintering?
Ducks fly to mild climates for the winter for various reasons. These include the following:
- heredity;
- worsening weather conditions;
- biorhythms;
- nutritional deficiency;
- instincts.
The main reason for displacement is the lack of food in winter. Wild ducks primarily feed on insects, which hibernate or die out during the winter. Birds also eat grass. With the arrival of cold weather, finding such food is very problematic. Ducks also fly away from warm countries. This is due to dry weather and a shortage of clean water.
Another factor that creates the need for flights is a change in habitat - this includes nesting, wintering and migration areas.
Ducks make their flight without rest or make short stops. In the temperate climate zone, which is located in Europe, their living environment has changed greatly. Between the homeland of birds and the wintering area there is an area that for some birds is considered a permanent residence zone. The reservoirs there never freeze. This is mainly typical for large cities.
Types of Migration
Birds fly to other regions for the winter to wait out the cold and cope with food shortages.
Scientists identify several types of temporary movement of ducks:
- The first type is tied to the birth of offspring. When the ducklings grow up and become slightly stronger, the ducks will form flocks and fly away. At the same time, the first group of migratory birds includes drakes. After them the chicks fly and only then the ducks.
- The second type of migration is due to seasonal molting. At the same time, the birds grow new feathers. They wait this time in the transit area. For example, ducks that winter in the Mediterranean are on the banks of the Volga during molting.
- The third type is due to the ducks returning home. Their summer passes there and new chicks are born. After this period is over, the ducks again form flocks and fly south.
Wintering areas for our ducks
The main task of moving birds south is to find habitat areas with an optimal climate. At the same time, they search for regions with plenty of food and water. With the arrival of cold weather, birds fly away from different regions of Russia. They are moving west. However, flight times depend on the region. So, ducks fly away from Siberia earlier. In this case, the birds can wait out the molt in the south of Russia. Birds fly away from Moscow around October. With the arrival of spring, they return in the same flock. Summer is the period of nesting and breeding.
Many people are interested in where exactly the birds are moving. The main destinations include the following:
- southern Europe - for the winter, ducks move to the Mediterranean coast;
- Asia Minor - many birds fly to Iran or Turkey;
- shores of the Sea of Azov;
- Caucasus;
- North Africa - birds live in regions that belong to the Mediterranean basin;
- shores of the Caspian Sea.
Sometimes wild ducks spend the winter in the Baltic states. This region also has access to the sea and plenty of food to withstand the cold. Many ducks fly from Russia to France. There they settle on the banks of the Rhine and Loire.
Wintering areas for ducks are variable. Their change may be due to various factors. The key one is food. When one region becomes uninhabitable in winter, ducks are forced to find another.
Migration Features
The features of duck migration have not been fully studied. People are often interested in where exactly ducks move in the fall with the onset of cold weather and how the time of return is determined. Ornithologists cannot give an exact answer to these questions. Research into the characteristics of migration continues today.
The desire of birds to fly is laid down in them at the genetic level. The moving process has many features. Drakes and ducks begin to prepare for migration in advance:
- Birds gain more weight. They settle in reeds to avoid attacks from predators.
- By September, molting is completed, and the birds begin to develop new feathers. At this time, the chicks grow and become stronger. At this stage, they are able to fly south with their parents.
Formation of birds during flight
Ducks move in a flock in a wedge or column shape. At the same time, they are placed at an angle relative to the flight route. This is due to air currents that raise the wings during flight.
Placing birds in a wedge shape helps reduce the energy expenditure of birds located behind the front bird by 10-20%. If they line up in a single line, the flow of air that the wings of the front bird raises will disrupt the path of the rear bird.
The wedge is headed by the strongest individuals. At the same time, the leader controls the direction of the flight. This process is considered quite complex. Birds are often forced to fly for a long time without stopping.
Reasons for returning
Migratory slabs that have overwintered in warm regions, as a rule, return to the area of their previous summer stopover. The main factor is the lack of food in the wintering area. The local birds that live there also give birth to chicks. As a result, food becomes scarce. This encourages ducks to return to their native lands.
Duck migration is considered a rather complex and interesting process, which is still being studied by ornithologists.Before wintering, the birds undergo thorough preparation and then fly away to warmer climes.
