How do Human Activities Affect Migration of Birds

” To force the pace and never to be still
is not the way of those who study birds
or women. The best poets wait for words.
The hunt is not an exercise of will
But patient love relaxing on a hill
To note the movement of a timid wing;
Until the one who knows that she is loved
No longer waits but risks surrendering –
In this the poet finds his moral proved
Who never spoke before his spirit moved.”

Famous Poet Nissim Ezekiel in these lines has very clearly and aptly described the condition of a bird watcher. He has to stay calm and he has to prevent his movements reaching the places untouched by human hands in order to watch migratory birds and to note down the characteristics about them. A slight mistake of movement made from his side can make the birds fly. Human activities have always been affecting the movements of migratory birds in one way or the other. Humans disturb migratory birds in several ways, some of which have been explained by us in this article.

How do Human Activities Affect Migration of Birds

1. They Start Shifting Their Journey:-

According to a report published by a famous magazine, the migratory birds have started shifting their journey to new places these days. Most of the migratory birds move in search of food and shelter, but with human invasion to the places which earlier used to be a shelter to these birds, the migratory birds have chosen to shift their journey in most of the areas. Sometimes, migratory birds are seen confused with the warming effect and this also makes them bring about a change in their migration cycle.

2. Fewer Habitats Left Suitable for Migratory Birds:-

The habitats of these migratory birds are also getting affected because of human invasion to such places. Humans have left no place spared from development. They are building canals cutting the trees and they are building structures of concrete ending the habitats of these birds. This makes them get reduced in number and they choose to move to some new place instead.

3. Infected Migratory Birds Cause Bird Flu:-

According to a report that I recently viewed in some newspaper of magazine, migratory birds have been accused for spreading bird flu, but I would rather like to quote the examples like an observed fall in the number of summer birds migrating to Saint Vincent Gulf in South Australia every year is one such example which illustrates how cruel men has been to such birds.

4. Species Getting Endangered:-

When any species gets endangered, even the human existence gets closer for being endangered. In this world, each and every form of life is important and if we keep on disturbing the balance of nature like this only, our own existence is sure to be endangered some day.

5. No Availability of Food:-

Because of human invasion to the habitats of these migratory birds, the migratory birds are finding no food to survive upon and their journeys are shifting. There is also a downfall reported in the number of such birds. It is supposed that due to a loss of habitat and food, these birds are dying each and every year bringing about a downfall in their number.

This partially happens because of change of temperature. The change in seasonal temperature and increase in global warming, which is again a human caused phenomenon affects the availability of insects which serve to be the food of these migratory birds. When no food is available, the migratory birds starve like anything and thus they die for which again humans are responsible.