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It's a universal dream
to fly like a bird.


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To soar on wings into the heavens.


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But it's nothing
compared to the reality.


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This is our planet
seen as never before.


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A bird's-eye view.


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Theirs is a journey
that covers the world.


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Filled with astonishing
natural events...


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..extreme challenges...


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..and hard-won rewards.


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This is the world on the wing.


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Our story begins
on the southern tip of Africa.


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A bird's-eye view
of Cape Town's Table Mountain


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gives no hint of what's stirring
in the seas far offshore.


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Beneath the waves a great gathering
is occurring.


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Its innermost secrets
are known by a bird.


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The Cape gannet.


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An intelligent and curious creature
that works as part of a team.


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Small groups spread out across
the ocean looking for clues


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that might lead them
to the great event.


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They keep their eye on humpback
whales as they seek the same reward.


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But dolphins make even better allies.


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The two creatures work together.


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The gannets are the dolphins' eyes
in the sky.


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From their high vantage point,


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the gannets can see
what the dolphins can't.


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One finally spots
what they're looking for.


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He dives -
a signal to all his followers


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that they've finally arrived.


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20 metres down,
they reach their target.


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The Great Sardine Run,


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the biggest fish migration
in the world.


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But at this depth the sardines
are quite a challenge.


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He comes up with nothing.


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But guiding the dolphins here
is about to pay off.


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They attack from below,


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breaking up the shoals
and driving them to the surface.


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Now the sardines
are much easier to catch.


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But the commotion also attracts
bronze whaler sharks.


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At every dive,
the birds now dice with death.


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And some hunters could swallow
a dozen gannets in just one gulp.


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Fortunately, Bryde's whales
are only here for the sardines.


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The victors return to Bird Island,


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the biggest Cape gannet colony
in the world.


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It's their extraordinary knowledge
of ocean life


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that allows 65,000 pairs
to thrive here.


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Back on the mainland, vultures
have an unrivalled knowledge


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of the creatures
that live on the land.


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These canny scavengers


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soar for hours,
studying the movements of animals.


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Their all-seeing eyes watch for clues
that might lead them to a meal.


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Running animals are a good sign.


52
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But lions are even better.


53
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But in the high-stakes world
of the African bush,


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the watched also do the watching.


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There is an uneasy alliance
between vultures and lions


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as both spy on one another
to find fresh meat.


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This time there's nothing,
but she will keep looking.


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Her bird's-eye view
reveals many secrets.


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This S-shaped island
is actually alive.


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It is made up entirely
of lesser flamingos.


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Flamingos may be the most beautiful
and graceful birds in Africa,


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but they spend their lives
in the most unsavoury places.


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They wade in toxic soda lakes.


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The only lagoons
where the algae they eat is found.


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They filter it from the caustic water
with their bills.


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It not only keeps them alive,


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pigments in the algae create
their flamboyant colour.


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As the amount of algae varies
with the seasons,


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the flamingos are on a continual
quest for the perfect lake.


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But wherever they go,


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these delicate birds fall prey
to hunters of every kind.


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Fish eagles are their main enemy.


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These clever and solitary predators


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are found over every body of water
south of the Sahara.


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They eat mainly fish,
but here flamingos are easier prey.


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Fish eagles have become expert
at hunting them.


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The fish eagle is small
and highly manoeuvrable.


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But it still won't be easy.


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This battle plays out
wherever flamingos roam.


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For now, the lake's algal bloom
gives them all they could wish for.


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But all good things must end.


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Soon they will be gone.


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Vultures never get the chance
to stop travelling.


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Her broad wings ride the air
for hours


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as she searches for the dead
or done for.


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Every feather reacts
to the tiniest breath of air,


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adjusting its angle
to perfect her flight.


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She splays her wing-tip feathers
to reduce drag.


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And uses her tail to steer.


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Her efficient flight is helped
by a weather phenomenon


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often found in these hot climes.


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Dust devils form
when the sun bakes the ground


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and hot air rises in a thermal,
sucking up dirt.


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Thermals are usually invisible,


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but vultures know
just where to find them.


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She uses them as express elevators
to the sky.


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Just as she watches other vultures,
they watch her too.


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Sharing their knowledge
of where thermals can be found.


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When she finds lift, others rush
to join her on her free ride.


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Gliding from thermal to thermal,


101
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she surveys hundreds of square miles
with hardly any effort at all.


102
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A descending spiral of other birds


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marks the spot
where a carcass might be found.


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She folds her wings to lose height
and uses her legs as air brakes.


105
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Feathers along her wings spring up
to slow her even more.


106
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With two and a half metres of wing
to deal with,


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landing among trees is a challenge.


108
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Once down,
the hard bit is finding the carcass.


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But backup is never far behind.


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The spiralling vultures
have also attracted the lions.


111
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Things could easily turn nasty.


112
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Especially as something
doesn't seem right.


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Swallows and carmine bee-eaters
are here,


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not the usual suspects
at a murder scene.


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Marabou storks, the undertaker birds,
are more like it.


116
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But these wily scavengers
are not here for a carcass.


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They're eating termites.


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The vultures and lions
have messed up, big-time.


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It was an easy mistake to make.


120
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A gathering of birds
always means food.


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They weren't to know that for them
it wouldn't even be a snack


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Only the smaller hooded vulture
has the right tool for the job.


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Much to the lion's frustration.


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When messing with lions,
the stakes are high.


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Unfortunately,
it's an occupational hazard.


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Cape Point,
at the southern tip of Africa,


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is home to another bird that mixes
with dangerous predators.


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Kelp gulls may not have
the charisma of a vulture,


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but they certainly
know their wildlife.


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The aptly-named Seal Island
is home to 10,000 Cape fur seals.


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The perfect meal,
if only the gulls were hunters.


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But by studying the seal's behaviour,


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these inoffensive birds have put
seal meat at the top of their menu.


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They pick out the youngest


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and wait for them to brave
the open waters of the bay.


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Then they look for someone
to prepare their meal.


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A great white shark will do nicely!


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To be first at the kill
means a feast.


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But the shark
has to catch dinner first.


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The commotion is a signal
to other gulls.


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In the killing season,


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over 30 attacks happen
around Seal Island each day.


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The gulls have become experts on
the great white's killing technique.


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Back on the South African mainland,


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a very different wildlife spectacle
occurs every evening.


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These are barn swallows.


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Three million of them.


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They roost in these reed beds
before travelling 6,000 miles


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to their spring breeding grounds
in northern Europe.


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They are well equipped
for their migration.


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Few can beat their aerobatic skills.


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They even drink
without missing a beat.


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Their streamlined body
and long, pointed wings


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allow them to effortlessly manoeuvre,


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and their forked tail
helps their sublime control.


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Taking a bath couldn't be easier.


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Their flying abilities
will soon be tested


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as they embark on one of the riskiest
and most epic journeys on earth.


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But they will not be alone.


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In the skies above,
thousands of white storks join them


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in a race against time to reach
their European breeding grounds.


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But while swallows
flap their wings all the way,


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white storks glide on thermals.


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On a good day, the storks
can travel 300 miles


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with hardly any effort at all.


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But flying isn't always
such a breeze.


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They can only travel
when the sun shines.


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Victoria Falls is a major landmark
on their journey.


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900 miles from where
they first set off.


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As the Zambezi river plummets
into the chasm below,


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it creates huge updraughts


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that make the falls a paradise
for soaring birds.


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It's the perfect place
for a fish eagle to set up home.


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It might be wet and wild, but these
are the conditions eagles relish.


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He patrols the mile-long canyon,


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surfing on air
pushed up by the falling water.


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Birds understand and feel
the air currents


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in ways that are difficult
to imagine.


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As well as detecting thermals,


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they see their landscape in terms of
how it shapes and deflects the air.


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This knowledge allows them
to glide with little effort,


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allowing them to concentrate
on what really matters.


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Finding a meal.


184
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Swooping from the air provides
the best element of surprise.


185
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600 miles north of Victoria Falls,


186
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the thermals that support storks
in the air simply vanish.


187
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Below lies the problem.


188
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Lake Malawi.


189
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The first of many lakes
in East Africa's Great Rift Valley.


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Thermals can't form over water,


191
00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:18,680
so the storks have to work hard
just to stay airborne.


192
00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:22,000
And these soaring birds
aren't designed


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to flap their wings for long.


194
00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:42,880
But a promising apparition
suddenly appears.


195
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Dust devils seem to be rising
from the lake.


196
00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:56,440
But these aren't thermals.


197
00:24:56,440 --> 00:24:59,200
In fact,
they're made entirely of flies.


198
00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:07,800
Each month, billions of lake flies
swirl together


199
00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:09,320
in a huge mating dance,


200
00:25:09,320 --> 00:25:11,920
creating the biggest swarms on Earth.


201
00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:20,920
Storks must head inland
to find the real McCoy.


202
00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:25,320
But flapping flight takes its toll.


203
00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:29,560
Tired storks must make frequent stops
to rest and feed.


204
00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:34,960
Tornadoes of flies
may be useless for storks,


205
00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:38,800
but they are a godsend for
the swallows travelling close behind.


206
00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:44,360
Like the storks, they have already
flown over 1,000 miles at this point.


207
00:25:44,360 --> 00:25:46,520
They too are ravenous.


208
00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:49,720
They head into the very heart
of the swarm.


209
00:25:57,640 --> 00:26:00,880
Swallows put on little weight
before their journey,


210
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so must feed at every opportunity.


211
00:26:06,960 --> 00:26:10,640
Windfalls like this make the
difference between life and death.


212
00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:19,600
Refuelled,
they continue their travels.


213
00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:27,520
Further north, along the Rift Valley,


214
00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:30,680
the land opens up
into a huge expanse of grassland.


215
00:26:35,480 --> 00:26:37,960
Here, vultures command the skies,


216
00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:41,240
soaring up to five miles
above the Earth.


217
00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:46,800
From these heights, they can drop
down at any time to check out a meal.


218
00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:06,400
Her favourite scavenging grounds
are the Serengeti plains.


219
00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:10,280
Home to the largest land migration
in the world.


220
00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:17,920
Below, around one and a half million
wildebeest


221
00:27:17,920 --> 00:27:19,560
perform their yearly journey.


222
00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:41,680
Vultures escort the herd,
and are an expert on their habits,


223
00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:44,600
especially as they might
bring a meal.


224
00:27:46,160 --> 00:27:49,400
They know the torrential waters
of the Mara river


225
00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:51,880
are an accident waiting to happen.


226
00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:02,680
Thousands of wildebeest must
negotiate its dangerous waters


227
00:28:02,680 --> 00:28:04,880
and casualties are inevitable.


228
00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:25,800
The crocs have waited a year
for this moment.


229
00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:28,320
They won't waste their chance.


230
00:28:45,440 --> 00:28:47,200
It's carnage.


231
00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:49,720
But there won't be much left
for the vultures.


232
00:28:55,080 --> 00:28:57,840
But as the wildebeest
reach the other side,


233
00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:00,400
a four-metre wall blocks their path.


234
00:29:00,400 --> 00:29:02,720
It's a death trap.


235
00:29:12,080 --> 00:29:13,800
All it takes is just one slip.


236
00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:32,080
And there it is.


237
00:29:32,080 --> 00:29:34,160
The perfect meal,
ripe for the taking.


238
00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:46,840
Now the arguing begins.


239
00:29:56,200 --> 00:29:58,640
The marabou stork is back.


240
00:29:58,640 --> 00:30:01,480
He uses his bill
to dismember carcasses.


241
00:30:01,480 --> 00:30:04,840
But he's quite happy
to use it as a spear.


242
00:30:09,160 --> 00:30:11,600
Vultures never get to eat in peace.


243
00:30:11,600 --> 00:30:14,040
That's why they always keep moving.


244
00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:25,560
Flamingos are also driven
by the quest for food.


245
00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:30,520
In desperate times,
many travel up from southern Africa


246
00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:34,400
to join East African flamingos
as they seek the perfect soda lake.


247
00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:41,760
Just south of the equator
is Lake Nakuru,


248
00:30:41,760 --> 00:30:44,680
the most famous flamingo lake
in the world.


249
00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:35,120
The lake is a favourite
stopover for flamingos


250
00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:37,440
and thousands can arrive
in a single day.


251
00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:47,760
But despite its past glory,
it's now a bitter disappointment.


252
00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:54,680
A change in water quality
means little algae grows here now.


253
00:31:57,360 --> 00:32:00,400
There are other signs of change.


254
00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:06,040
Great white pelicans arrive,
attracted to the salt-tolerant fish


255
00:32:06,040 --> 00:32:09,560
that have been introduced
by local fishermen to the lake.


256
00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:14,320
They cruise over the water surface,


257
00:32:14,320 --> 00:32:17,960
riding a cushion of air created
by the down thrust of their wings.


258
00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:45,200
The recent appearance of pelicans
shows that the lake is changing.


259
00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:47,800
The flamingos face
other problems, too.


260
00:32:51,040 --> 00:32:54,240
Here, scavengers have turned hunters.


261
00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:58,520
The delicate flamingos
make easy prey for the hyenas.


262
00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:13,920
They need space for takeoff.


263
00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:17,680
It's not good
to be at the back of the queue.


264
00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:22,720
And to make things worse, many have
been weakened by a lack of food.


265
00:33:22,720 --> 00:33:26,120
The hyenas' technique
is crude but effective.


266
00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:28,320
Just charge and grab the slowest.


267
00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:30,960
Lake Nakuru has become a dangerous
place with few attractions.


268
00:34:32,320 --> 00:34:34,240
Hungry and out of condition,


269
00:34:34,240 --> 00:34:36,760
the flamingos must try their luck
elsewhere.


270
00:34:42,960 --> 00:34:46,200
Above, the storks
continue their migration.


271
00:34:46,200 --> 00:34:50,120
They carry few reserves and need to
make frequent stops to feed.


272
00:34:51,880 --> 00:34:54,240
Here, the open plains
are their best chance


273
00:34:54,240 --> 00:34:56,480
of catching the insect life
they need.


274
00:35:12,200 --> 00:35:15,760
But stopovers bring
their own hazards.


275
00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:18,200
The hungry lion will hunt anything.


276
00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:41,800
Fortunately for the storks, the lions
have set their sights on bigger prey.


277
00:36:03,840 --> 00:36:09,040
On his 6,000-mile safari,
the stork must be ready for anything.


278
00:36:12,720 --> 00:36:15,240
Some birds can't get enough
of hunting lions.


279
00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:16,800
One vulture has hit the jackpot.


280
00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:19,680
The lionesses have killed.


281
00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:24,720
And so too has the male.


282
00:37:31,440 --> 00:37:33,160
She makes her choice.


283
00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:44,400
Finding the carcass is easy.


284
00:37:44,400 --> 00:37:46,760
Getting it from the owner won't be.


285
00:37:51,680 --> 00:37:54,040
Some sneaky tactics are required.


286
00:37:57,040 --> 00:38:00,040
Tiptoeing around the back
could be the answer.


287
00:38:15,040 --> 00:38:18,480
Hungry lions may be big,
but they aren't stupid.


288
00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:26,280
Dealing with the vulture
would be like swatting a gnat.


289
00:38:26,280 --> 00:38:27,840
Hardly worth the effort.


290
00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:38,600
But reinforcements arrive,
swelling the ranks.


291
00:38:51,440 --> 00:38:55,240
They include the more burly
lappet-faced vultures.


292
00:38:59,120 --> 00:39:01,560
She has attracted strong support


293
00:39:01,560 --> 00:39:04,200
but she must be careful.


294
00:39:04,200 --> 00:39:08,080
Her masterplan is simple,
but dangerous.


295
00:39:08,080 --> 00:39:09,880
Tease the lion to distraction.


296
00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:20,560
Lions get hot and bothered
keeping vultures from their kill.


297
00:39:20,560 --> 00:39:22,960
And that's exactly what they want.


298
00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:30,280
The vulture plays dare,
goading the lion.


299
00:39:58,080 --> 00:40:01,800
In the hot sun,
it is a war of attrition.


300
00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:18,120
Their cunning plan has worked.


301
00:40:18,120 --> 00:40:20,840
The lion heads for shade.


302
00:40:22,560 --> 00:40:25,120
Vultures rush in
where others fear to tread.


303
00:40:28,000 --> 00:40:30,600
Now it's everyone for themselves.


304
00:40:34,160 --> 00:40:36,720
Then the neighbours from hell arrive.


305
00:40:59,880 --> 00:41:04,160
Somewhere in the mayhem,
everyone eventually gets something.


306
00:41:27,000 --> 00:41:28,760
High in the skies above,


307
00:41:28,760 --> 00:41:31,920
the flamingos continue their quest
for the perfect lake.


308
00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:41,840
Just past the equator,
in central Kenya,


309
00:41:41,840 --> 00:41:43,360
they finally find it.


310
00:41:47,080 --> 00:41:48,320
Lake Bogoria.


311
00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:54,360
Here, flamingos gather
in their millions,


312
00:41:54,360 --> 00:41:57,120
the greatest concentration on Earth.


313
00:42:52,640 --> 00:42:57,160
Breathtaking gatherings like these
happen just once in 20 years.


314
00:43:05,920 --> 00:43:11,040
Their bodies become a pink blanket,
veiling the shallows of the lake.


315
00:43:40,160 --> 00:43:43,800
For the new arrivals,
the lake lives up to its promise.


316
00:43:46,960 --> 00:43:49,440
It's brimming with all the algae
they can eat.


317
00:43:53,680 --> 00:43:56,480
At Lake Bogoria,
they can stop for a while


318
00:43:56,480 --> 00:43:58,880
and feed to their heart's content.


319
00:44:02,320 --> 00:44:04,320
They have reached their Shangri-la.


320
00:44:09,040 --> 00:44:11,040
But there's trouble in paradise.


321
00:44:23,360 --> 00:44:25,840
Here, baboons have turned killers.


322
00:44:57,640 --> 00:45:01,400
And it's not only baboons
that hunt in the lake.


323
00:45:04,240 --> 00:45:09,720
Fish eagles always know what's going
on and want a piece of the action.


324
00:45:19,960 --> 00:45:24,640
They know that baboons hunt in packs
and usually there are leftovers.


325
00:45:35,360 --> 00:45:38,760
Staying airborne puts him
in pole position.


326
00:45:42,400 --> 00:45:45,400
With baboons attacking
from every direction...


327
00:45:46,440 --> 00:45:48,600
..the flamingos have little chance.


328
00:46:02,600 --> 00:46:06,880
The pent-up aggression
causes fights to break out.


329
00:46:10,000 --> 00:46:12,840
Exactly what the eagle
was hoping for.


330
00:46:20,960 --> 00:46:24,720
Although he's a hunter,
he's never too proud to scavenge.


331
00:46:26,360 --> 00:46:29,040
But two can play
at the thieving game.


332
00:46:30,840 --> 00:46:34,280
A steppe eagle drops in, at 150mph.


333
00:46:43,960 --> 00:46:48,200
He sends it packing, but many more
are waiting in the wings.


334
00:47:08,680 --> 00:47:13,240
Fish eagles are plucky birds,
and don't give up their food easily.


335
00:47:13,240 --> 00:47:16,120
But, in the end, it's a numbers game.


336
00:47:19,440 --> 00:47:24,720
Beaten by overwhelming force, the
fish eagle has barely had a mouthful.


337
00:47:27,080 --> 00:47:30,680
Vultures are used to competing
for their meals.


338
00:47:30,680 --> 00:47:33,680
For a scavenger,
it comes with the territory.


339
00:47:37,760 --> 00:47:40,800
But there is one place that usually
gives enough to go round.


340
00:47:45,120 --> 00:47:46,760
The Grumeti river.


341
00:48:07,160 --> 00:48:12,440
All they have to do is wait for
the conveyor belt of food to arrive.


342
00:48:19,160 --> 00:48:22,720
This river is a favourite drinking
spot in the wildebeest migration.


343
00:48:22,720 --> 00:48:25,920
But it is also
one of the most dangerous.


344
00:48:48,640 --> 00:48:52,440
The vulture waits as the crocodiles
demonstrate their lethal skills.


345
00:50:03,120 --> 00:50:07,040
By the end of the killing spree,
the crocs are full


346
00:50:07,040 --> 00:50:09,320
and there are carcasses to spare.


347
00:50:18,880 --> 00:50:23,400
But where there are big crocodiles,
there are also little ones.


348
00:50:26,760 --> 00:50:29,400
And they have to practise somewhere.


349
00:50:43,040 --> 00:50:47,240
Even at this hallowed spot,
there's no rest for the wicked.


350
00:50:47,240 --> 00:50:50,960
A vulture's life is
a never-ending journey to find food.


351
00:50:55,880 --> 00:50:59,720
Among the hot springs
and geysers of Lake Bogoria,


352
00:50:59,720 --> 00:51:02,080
the flamingos have finally
found peace.


353
00:51:09,680 --> 00:51:11,520
But they must be on their guard.


354
00:51:18,160 --> 00:51:20,680
The fish eagle is still hungry.


355
00:52:05,400 --> 00:52:08,240
He looks for any breaks in the ranks.


356
00:52:08,240 --> 00:52:10,040
He can't afford to fail this time.


357
00:52:48,000 --> 00:52:49,760
Success at last.


358
00:53:06,000 --> 00:53:10,280
As ever, the marabou stork
never misses a thing.


359
00:53:12,720 --> 00:53:15,440
He could spear the eagle
with just one jab.


360
00:53:22,960 --> 00:53:24,960
It's David versus Goliath.


361
00:53:36,960 --> 00:53:40,480
Like all bullies, the marabou
crumbles when challenged,


362
00:53:40,480 --> 00:53:42,760
pecking the dirt in frustration.


363
00:53:53,520 --> 00:53:57,400
At last, the fish eagle enjoys
the sweet taste of success.


364
00:54:01,320 --> 00:54:04,640
The flamingos may have lost
one of their number,


365
00:54:04,640 --> 00:54:08,120
but it's a small price to pay
for staying in a pink paradise.


366
00:54:11,080 --> 00:54:14,360
With two million together
in peak condition,


367
00:54:14,360 --> 00:54:16,600
they can take time out for dancing.


368
00:54:22,760 --> 00:54:27,240
True love blossoms as they mirror
each other's actions perfectly


369
00:54:27,240 --> 00:54:31,000
and lifelong relationships
are formed.


370
00:54:38,000 --> 00:54:40,880
Soon hundreds join the parade.


371
00:55:04,200 --> 00:55:08,880
Their synchronised dance is one of
the most beautiful in the bird world.


372
00:55:13,480 --> 00:55:17,720
It happens when the birds are fit
and truly happy.


373
00:55:17,720 --> 00:55:21,560
A prelude to breeding
that occurs only in special years.


374
00:56:09,760 --> 00:56:13,240
For the flamingo, it's a fitting end
to her journey.


375
00:56:15,160 --> 00:56:17,840
But the swallows
have a long way to go.


376
00:56:18,920 --> 00:56:23,520
They have travelled 3,000 miles
from South Africa to reach here,


377
00:56:23,520 --> 00:56:26,080
but they are still only halfway home.


378
00:56:26,080 --> 00:56:30,280
A hatch of midges will help
power their journey onwards.


379
00:56:30,280 --> 00:56:33,760
It's a vital meal. The swallows
still have to cross the Sahara.


380
00:56:33,760 --> 00:56:38,120
An area as big as the United States.


381
00:56:41,840 --> 00:56:45,240
The white storks choose
a safer but longer route,


382
00:56:45,240 --> 00:56:48,360
one that avoids
the Sahara altogether.


383
00:56:50,640 --> 00:56:55,120
They follow the life-giving
waters of the Nile.


384
00:56:58,680 --> 00:57:03,760
The swallows rely on oases. Without
them, they could never survive.


385
00:57:18,520 --> 00:57:22,480
Meanwhile, common cranes
have joined the migration


386
00:57:22,480 --> 00:57:25,600
and are heading out of Africa
towards Europe.


387
00:57:31,800 --> 00:57:35,560
It's a route that takes them
over the Mediterranean Sea.


388
00:57:41,720 --> 00:57:44,120
The storks try to avoid
the sea altogether.


389
00:57:44,120 --> 00:57:46,960
But things don't always go to plan.


390
00:57:50,920 --> 00:57:53,680
Thermals can't form over water,


391
00:57:53,680 --> 00:57:55,680
so the storks are heading
for disaster.


392
00:58:06,440 --> 00:58:10,040
If a wing tip touches the water,
they will fall in and drown.


393
00:58:13,840 --> 00:58:16,000
Next time, we will follow
the storks' fate,


394
00:58:16,000 --> 00:58:18,000
as they try to reach
their breeding grounds.


395
00:58:21,040 --> 00:58:22,400
On the wings of birds,


396
00:58:22,400 --> 00:58:26,720
we will discover the human
and natural world of Europe


397
00:58:26,720 --> 00:58:28,920
as it has never been seen before.


398
00:58:52,760 --> 00:58:55,120
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd


399
00:58:55,120 --> 00:58:57,000
E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk