As the Giro d’Italia races through Tirana, all eyes are on endurance and movement. But while cyclists conquer the streets, the skies above tell another story of resilience and athleticism: the story of migratory birds.
A Race in the Sky: One of nature’s most remarkable flyers is the Common Swift (Apus apus). This small bird can stay airborne for up to 10 months straight. It eats, drinks, sleeps, and even mates in mid-air—literally shutting down half its brain at a time to rest. Now that’s multitasking at a level no human could match.
And the Common Swift isn’t alone:
- Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica): Holds the record for the longest nonstop flight —11,000 km across the Pacific Ocean without food, water, or rest. (Compare that to someone’s 11,000 daily steps!)
- Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea): Travels 92,000 km annually, migrating from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back, chasing summer year-round.
- Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla): Weighs just 50g but can cross the Atlantic Ocean in one push—the energy equivalent of running 126 marathons back-to-back.
- Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus): Flies over the Himalayas, reaching oxygen-poor altitudes that rival the most grueling mountain stages of the Giro.
This Year’s Theme: Building Bird-Friendly Cities: In 2025, World Migratory Bird Day highlights the importance of Creating Bird-Friendly Cities and Communities. Birds don’t just pass through pristine wildlands. They fly over, rest, and even nest in urban areas like Tirana. From rooftops to riverbanks, balconies to boulevards, birds rely on cities for survival. But while cyclists have clear paths and mapped routes, birds face a growing number of challenges: shrinking wetlands, disappearing stopover sites, and expanding concrete jungles. Light pollution, glass windows, and habitat fragmentation all add to the peril.
What Can We Do?
- Protect and restore urban green spaces and wetlands
- Reduce light pollution during peak migration seasons
- Install bird-safe glass and rooftop habitats
- Educate communities about local bird species and how to help them
As we cheer for the athletes pedaling through Tirana, let’s also raise our eyes to the skies. Migratory birds are not just passing visitors—they are fellow travelers on a fragile, interconnected planet.
Let’s make cities work for them, too. WorldMigratoryBirdDay #BirdFriendlyCities #GiroDItaliaTirana #FlyWithThem #UrbanNatureMatters #AvianAthletes #ProtectFlyways #FromTiranaToTheSky
