BY RAPHAEL MBUNDA
The first wave of migratory birds has already arrived and I caught sight of this magnificent bird perched on a tree branch, enjoying a scorpion for breakfast. It gave me a clear view of its distinctive colours: Brilliant shades of turquoise and sky blue, with a warm chestnut breast.
It was a European roller (Coracias garrulus), a non-breeding visitor to Tanzania that had travelled thousands of kilometres from its breeding grounds in Europe. It is the only member of the roller family that breeds in Europe. I hope it will stay here in Arusha National Park until April next year, when it will fly back to Europe. Its presence is a vivid reminder of the interconnectedness of the world’s ecosystems.
Each year, as autumn approaches, millions of birds embark on epic journeys from their breeding grounds in Europe and Central Asia towards the warmer landscapes of tropical Africa.
While humans need aeroplanes, ships, roads and satellites, the European roller travels thousands of kilometres across oceans, deserts, forests, mountains and continents using nothing but its own wings. Birds like these build up fat reserves before embarking on long journeys, giving them the energy they need to keep flying.
Some birds migrate during the day, others at night. Our athlete, the European roller, typically forages during the day but migrates at night, when atmospheric conditions are calmer and fewer predators are about, using the stars to navigate. It is amazing how this bird travels such long distances in the dark and finds its way back to the same area in Arusha National Park each year. Conservation efforts by the park authorities have helped create a better habitat, attracting migratory birds to rest, feed and thrive.
The European roller had just finished its scorpion—a tiny meal to help fuel a journey spanning an astonishing stretch of the planet—it would continue further south to other countries in southern Africa. European rollers are long-distance migrants, with journeys exceeding 15,000 kilometres between their breeding territories across Europe and Asia and their wintering grounds in southern Africa.
Watching this remarkable visitor, I marvelled at the migratory instincts etched deep into nature’s design.
Raphael Mbunda +255 756 606 070, Leganga Lodge in Usa River. Birding is his hobby. mbundarb11@gmail.com
