Page 63 - Das Wunder der Migration bei Tieren

In a single flight, most
migrating shorebirds
cannot cover the great
distance between their
breeding grounds and the
regions where they spend the
winter. Smaller species, which
store less fat than the largest
ones need to stop to gather more
food. Small birds can fly up to
2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) with
the spare fuel. Since there are few
suitable islands where they can
stop off, they trace a zigzag route
along the South Asian coast. But
they know where they can stop
and travel in the right direc-
tion. On the other hand,
larger shore birds can carry
enough fat for a 5,000-kilo-
meter (3,100-mile) jour-
ney, and so can follow a
more direct course.

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