The miracle of bird migration!

The season of spring is upon us. The annual influx of migratory birds into Islamabad and its environs is about to end. Exotic birds of diverse plumage and hues start flocking in at the advent of winter year after year. These annual migratory birds come from areas having inhospitable climes as far afield as Siberia. After spending the winter months here, the survivors then fly back home for the summer, only to repeat the performance the following year. This represents one of the wonders of nature.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of birds migrate from their home territories to escape the rigours of the extreme winter to seek temporary refuge in areas having a more hospitable climate. At the end of the winter, they instinctively turn around to start their long journey homeward. In so doing, these migratory birds fly thousands of kilometres without the benefit of technical equipment and with nothing more than their instincts to guide them. This miracle of migration of these birds has been going on since times immemorial.

The whole operation of bird migration takes place with uncanny precision. In the course of the weeks following the advent of winter climes, birds — big and small — start arriving in Islamabad and its environs, in droves and set up home in the foliage of local trees. This lasts until the time comes to retrace their flight back home. The local population of birds has, willy-nilly, done all to accommodate their feathery guests as they did in the years past.

Man prides himself on being, what he vainly calls the exalted of all creations. Yet, with all the technological advancement, he is unable to replicate or even explain the miracle of bird migration. The much-vaunted march of science and civilisation notwithstanding, nature still continues to stay several steps ahead of humankind.

The ‘miracle’ of our feathered friends’ annual migration ritual is a phenomenon that humankind would be well advised to ponder over. Man’s great advances in the field of aviation technology notwithstanding, nature remains way ahead in both quality and precision. Several questions present themselves, begging for answers, among them:

— How do birds living in diverse areas and climes manage to time their period of migration with so much accuracy and precision?

— How do they form precisely numbered homogenous groups when starting and ending their migration process?

— How do they manage to discern and replace the inevitable casualties en route?

— How do they manage to fly in coordination; each species in a particular and defined formation?

— How do they communicate within a particular formation, as well as among diverse formations?

The aforementioned and several other questions have remained unanswered despite Man’s best attempts to unravel the mysteries of nature. It is not for man to interfere with nature merely to satisfy his curiosity. Everything emerges as part and parcel of an overall scheme of things. Nature ensures that crude attempts by man to upset the balance do not succeed.

As the migratory birds start leaving for their journey back home, their absence is going to be felt, till such time the void is filled by the local flora and fauna supplemented by the colours and sounds of spring. Nature invariably ensures both an aura of mystery, as well as an overall sense of solace and serenity! Year after year, one is left to contemplate what would happen if the annual migration of birds were to come to a stop for some reason. One hopes and prays that this never happens. One thing is evident though: should man take it upon himself to interfere with the laws of nature, it will only be at his own peril.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2018.

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