1
00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,680
It's a universal dream
to fly like a bird.


2
00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:14,720
To soar on wings into the heavens.


3
00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,160
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...


7
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..filled with astonishing
natural events...


8
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..extreme challenges...


9
00:00:48,520 --> 00:00:50,880
..and hard-won rewards.


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00:00:51,960 --> 00:00:54,280
This is the world on the wing.


11
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It's spring, and tens of thousands
of white storks have left Africa


12
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and are trying to reach
their breeding grounds
a thousand miles away in Europe.


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They, like countless millions
of other birds,


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face many challenges
on the journey ahead.


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Already, these storks
might not make it.


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They have been blown off course
and out into the Sea of Marmara.


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The storks need rising
currents of hot air to soar


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but these thermals can't
form over water.


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The sheer effort of flapping
their wings is taking its toll.


20
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And the storks are dropping
dangerously low.


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If a wing as much as touches the
water, they will fall in and drown.


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They are battling for their lives.


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But they have a lifeline.


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An outcrop rising from the sea,
the Princes' Islands.


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Just enough sun-baked rock
to create thermals.


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They must quickly gain
as much height as they can.


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In this way, they can use
the islands as stepping stones
across the sea.


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Mainland Europe
is tantalisingly close.


29
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They soar upwards one last time.


30
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Then glide the seven miles
towards it.


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Istanbul - the gateway to Europe
for millions of migrating birds
arriving from Africa.


32
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They spiral over the city
before setting off
to re-colonise the continent.


33
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These storks are among the countless
millions of birds


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that risk their lives to come to
Europe to breed.


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Many try to choose a less hazardous
route into the continent.


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Grey cranes cross the Mediterranean
at the Straits of Gibraltar.


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Here, just 13 miles of sea
separate Africa from Europe.


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Ahead is the famous
Rock of Gibraltar.


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Reaching land is just stage one
of their goal


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as they have an appointment to keep
in the far north of the continent.


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The cranes don't pass unnoticed.


42
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Barbary macaques were introduced
from Africa hundreds of years ago.


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Each spring, they witness this mass
migration from their original
home just across the sea.


44
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Swallows flew the length of Africa
to reach here.


45
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Many will travel another
thousand miles or more


46
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before they reach their nest sites.


47
00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:13,720
On a good day,
cranes can travel 500 miles.


48
00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:21,400
But three days of flying
leaves cranes tired and hungry.


49
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The Camargue, Europe's largest river
delta, is the perfect place
for a spot of R&R.


50
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Below are the Camargue's famous
white horses,


51
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a breed that has roamed
the marshes for centuries.


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Crane families find the best
feeding spots by joining other
travel-weary birds.


53
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Here, they will take
on board the provisions
they need for the journey ahead.


54
00:09:08,680 --> 00:09:13,800
They are joined by greater
flamingos, fresh from West Africa.


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12,000 breeding pairs
spend the summer here.


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The salty lagoons provide everything
they could wish for.


57
00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:40,600
But life here isn't
quite as peaceful as they'd hoped.


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The flamingos arrive in the breeding
season, as feisty stallions
try to round up the mares.


59
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Time to find a quieter lagoon.


60
00:10:48,880 --> 00:10:52,960
Fortunately the Camargue has
hundreds to choose from.


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The cranes can't rest for long,
they are bound for Scandinavia


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where they have a date to keep
with thousands of other birds.


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The storks are
equally pushed for time.


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The first to appear in Europe
are males,


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racing to reach their nest sites
before the females arrive.


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Cities are an essential
part of their flight plan.


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00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:02,800
Hard reflective surfaces are better
at creating thermals than
the surrounding countryside.


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Roofs act like storage heaters,


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pumping out heat even
when the sun's behind a cloud.


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Sun-baked roads form a matching
highway of hot air in the sky above.


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In fact, our urban sprawl now helps
the storks migrate.


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A warm city benefits
birds in other ways, too.


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Each winter evening,
attracted by the heat of the city,


74
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five million starlings
stream into Rome.


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00:13:16,800 --> 00:13:18,080
Before they roost,


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their manoeuvres create nature's
greatest aerial display.


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Their iridescent plumage is lit up
by the setting sun.


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But this spectacular performance
isn't for fun.


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The peregrine falcon is looking
for his evening meal


80
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and he's hunting the world's best
formation flying team.


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Their mesmeric waves confuse
the peregrine.


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He can't lock onto a single target.


83
00:14:45,040 --> 00:14:46,720
To achieve such synchrony,


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each starling shadows
seven of his nearest neighbours.


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They react 10 times faster than
any human pilot.


86
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To stand a chance, the peregrine
must up his game.


87
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Despite his best efforts,
the peregrine has been outmanoeuvred
and outperformed.


88
00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:50,880
For the starlings,
city life is just for the winter.


89
00:15:50,880 --> 00:15:54,440
They will soon head for the wilds
of Siberia to breed.


90
00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:06,920
Cities aren't always
so popular with birds.


91
00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:13,800
Venice was once an area of marshland
where migrating cranes
could rest and feed.


92
00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:17,440
Now they have to keep on flying.


93
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A mother can help
her tired offspring.


94
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Air rising from her wingtips gives
a boost to those following
in her wake.


95
00:17:09,240 --> 00:17:12,800
As they follow, young birds also
learn the route.


96
00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:16,680
Next year they will have to
make the journey on their own.


97
00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:47,760
Further along the coast,
some marshlands still remain -


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a perfect place to stop
and recuperate.


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Despite Europe's dwindling
wild places,


100
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it's still a magnet
for breeding birds.


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Sand martins fly from South Africa


102
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just to nest in the banks
of this river in Hungary.


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They are here for the abundant
insect life,


104
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but, as their chicks grow,
demand outstrips supply.


105
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But in their time of need, the
river provides a perfect banquet.


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One by one, they emerge.


107
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They are mayflies.


108
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Their moment of glory
lasts just three hours.


109
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Just time enough to mate
and lay eggs.


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They are a "superfood"
for the hungry chicks.


111
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As the day ends,
the mayflies perform their swansong.


112
00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:07,040
The swallows are so full,
they lose their edge and appetite.


113
00:21:18,920 --> 00:21:21,680
But their loss is another's gain.


114
00:21:41,440 --> 00:21:46,000
The biggest challenge for migrating
birds is to keep on course.


115
00:21:47,480 --> 00:21:51,760
Like all birds,
cranes use the sun as a compass.


116
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Her body clock even compensates
as the sun arcs across the sky.


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If it's cloudy, she can navigate
by the Earth's magnetic field


118
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But despite her state-of-the-art
GPS, like us, she prefers
to trust her eyes.


119
00:22:19,520 --> 00:22:22,640
From above,
the land unfolds like a map


120
00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:25,120
and a river is the perfect line
to follow.


121
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Chateau de Chenonceau
is a reliable landmark.


122
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The Loire Valley is such a popular
route,


123
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50,000 cranes can pass
through in a single day.


124
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Many cranes that pass through
this valley


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still have a thousand miles
left to travel.


126
00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:42,320
But the storks are reaching
the end of their journey.


127
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They took 50 days to fly
from South Africa to their nest sites
in this German village.


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The first male to arrive
prepares to land.


129
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He whiffles, spilling air
from his wings to get down quickly.


130
00:24:23,640 --> 00:24:25,560
He then jams on his air brakes


131
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by lowering his legs
and flaring his feet.


132
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He's returning
to his ancestral home,


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a nest that has been in his family
for generations.


134
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But he faces competition.
Younger males try to claim
squatters' rights.


135
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He protects the nest
as if it's a family heirloom.


136
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Soon all the arguments are over,


137
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and the males settle down
to wait for their mates to arrive.


138
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To fill the time,
they start a thorough spring-clean.


139
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They haven't seen
their partners for eight months


140
00:26:03,400 --> 00:26:06,080
so it's vital
to make a good impression.


141
00:26:20,520 --> 00:26:23,680
He preens himself
ready for the grand reunion.


142
00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:31,280
Hopes are high.


143
00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:39,000
But so far, it's just swallows
and house martins that are arriving.


144
00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:46,040
They set off from South Africa
at the same time as the storks,


145
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but had to flap their wings all the
way, instead of gliding on thermals.


146
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Like storks, the males arrive first.


147
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The storks could face
an agonising wait for their mates.


148
00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:17,920
Migration is tough
and some simply don't make it.


149
00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:33,760
Brent geese avoid all this heartache
by flying together,


150
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as one big, happy family.


151
00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:43,360
Mum, Dad and the kids
are all joined by uncles and aunts.


152
00:27:58,960 --> 00:28:00,920
The brent geese head northwards,


153
00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:03,960
just as other birds
migrating from Africa arrive.


154
00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,680
Many flocks spend the winter
on the coastal marshes


155
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around Mont St Michel
in Northern France.


156
00:28:24,680 --> 00:28:28,080
But in spring,
they leave for Arctic Russia.


157
00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:51,520
Many start their 3,000 mile journey


158
00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:53,440
by crossing the English Channel.


159
00:28:56,400 --> 00:28:58,800
Brent geese take a leisurely
six weeks


160
00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:03,240
to reach their destination, stopping
at least 16 times along the way.


161
00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:13,120
The famous White Cliffs of Dover
are their first sight of Britain.


162
00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:46,320
As they leave, swallows
are arriving for the summer.


163
00:29:52,400 --> 00:29:56,760
They flew 6,000 miles to return
to the farm they were born in.


164
00:30:09,920 --> 00:30:13,280
Like storks,
the male has some DIY to do.


165
00:30:17,080 --> 00:30:20,440
Some nests have been in the family
for 50 years.


166
00:30:23,200 --> 00:30:26,120
Like all old properties,
they need a spot of renovation.


167
00:30:33,280 --> 00:30:36,000
Those good at the job
impress the females


168
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and are allowed to mate more often.


169
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The right materials are everything.


170
00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:53,040
Adding a few soft furnishings
will improve his chances.


171
00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:58,920
It's the perfect way
to feather his nest.


172
00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:00,240
And just in time.


173
00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:05,160
The female arrives
and follows him for an inspection.


174
00:32:16,120 --> 00:32:17,320
She's impressed.


175
00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:22,920
For the house-proud couple,


176
00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:26,040
the migration
has been a great success,


177
00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:28,720
but not all journeys
go according to plan.


178
00:32:35,600 --> 00:32:39,320
London is hardly a top attraction
for migrating birds.


179
00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:46,560
But many are forced
to make an unscheduled stop,


180
00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:50,280
having suffered flight diversions
due to bad weather.


181
00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:54,680
Barnacle geese
are among the many waifs and strays


182
00:32:54,680 --> 00:32:57,320
that sometimes end up
on the wrong side of town.


183
00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:13,120
Lost birds use their navigational
skills to try to get back on track.


184
00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:29,640
For stray barnacle geese,


185
00:33:29,640 --> 00:33:33,880
the nearest UK population
is 400 miles north in Scotland.


186
00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:42,600
The shortest route to join them
is along the east coast of Britain.


187
00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:24,840
Just over the Scottish border
is Bass Rock,


188
00:34:24,840 --> 00:34:27,720
the site of another
great migration spectacle.


189
00:34:33,680 --> 00:34:39,400
Gannets have travelled 3,500 miles
from West Africa just to be here.


190
00:34:41,280 --> 00:34:45,480
150,000 cram onto this
one small outcrop.


191
00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:56,680
They are attracted to the rich
North Sea fishing grounds


192
00:34:56,680 --> 00:34:58,080
that surround the island.


193
00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:06,520
The birds form a fishing fleet to be
reckoned with.


194
00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:11,320
In one year, these gannets net
8,000 tonnes of fish between them.


195
00:35:39,440 --> 00:35:41,800
The gannets' fishing trips may
last four days


196
00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:44,480
and take them 300 miles
out to sea.


197
00:35:55,800 --> 00:36:01,120
They can submerge 22 metres in
a dive, deeper than any other bird.


198
00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:12,480
They are cushioned from the impact


199
00:36:12,480 --> 00:36:15,360
by air sacs in their throat
and breast.


200
00:36:19,560 --> 00:36:23,040
They slice though the water
without slowing at all.


201
00:36:50,360 --> 00:36:53,640
Meanwhile, the barnacle geese
will travel on north


202
00:36:53,640 --> 00:36:55,360
over the city of Edinburgh.


203
00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:17,160
They prefer to hug the coast


204
00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:20,320
but will move inland
when they sense danger ahead.


205
00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:28,520
Falling air pressure warns
of an approaching weather front.


206
00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:36,520
It may be safer inland but some
storms are impossible to avoid.


207
00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:40,280
THUNDER CRASHES


208
00:38:10,640 --> 00:38:12,520
Thankfully, they're equipped


209
00:38:12,520 --> 00:38:14,960
with the best wet-weather gear
imaginable.


210
00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:22,520
Their feathers interlock,
creating a watertight seal,


211
00:38:22,520 --> 00:38:26,560
resistant to the driving rain
pounding at 40 miles per hour.


212
00:38:30,280 --> 00:38:32,480
It's like water off a duck's back.


213
00:38:57,800 --> 00:39:02,280
But storms aren't the only
challenges that geese encounter.


214
00:39:16,040 --> 00:39:20,320
The golden eagle,
Scotland's deadliest aerial predator.


215
00:39:35,880 --> 00:39:38,680
The geese whiffle
to lose height quickly.


216
00:39:42,280 --> 00:39:44,200
Eagles are formidable hunters.


217
00:39:46,040 --> 00:39:49,160
But suddenly it's the hunter
that's under attack.


218
00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:55,720
Crows mob any predator that dares
invade their territory.


219
00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:00,480
The geese hightail it.


220
00:40:11,760 --> 00:40:14,200
The eagle gets his comeuppance
for once,


221
00:40:14,200 --> 00:40:16,760
put in his place by a lowly crow.


222
00:40:30,120 --> 00:40:34,520
The barnacle geese
head northwest along Loch Ness.


223
00:40:50,720 --> 00:40:53,800
Then, just ahead,
a gathering of other geese,


224
00:40:53,800 --> 00:40:57,400
exactly what a lost flock needs.


225
00:40:57,400 --> 00:41:00,040
The massed birds are waiting
for a weather window


226
00:41:00,040 --> 00:41:02,440
that will allow them
to leave for the Arctic.


227
00:41:12,640 --> 00:41:16,680
They use the time
to pile on the pounds.


228
00:41:24,680 --> 00:41:26,360
But they have a problem.


229
00:41:29,960 --> 00:41:33,520
Spring is the time
of mad March hares


230
00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:36,760
and the geese are bang in the middle
of their boxing ring.


231
00:41:50,000 --> 00:41:54,280
Females don't pull any punches
fending off over-eager males.


232
00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:07,640
Boxing hares are a sign
that the geese should leave.


233
00:42:16,040 --> 00:42:17,760
With a fair wind blowing,


234
00:42:17,760 --> 00:42:21,680
the mad March hares
kick-start the goose migration.


235
00:42:23,880 --> 00:42:26,400
The race to the high Arctic is on.


236
00:42:32,800 --> 00:42:36,360
Ahead lies a non-stop,
1,500-mile sea crossing.


237
00:42:40,760 --> 00:42:44,040
The decision to leave
is the most important they make.


238
00:42:44,040 --> 00:42:46,960
Getting the forecast wrong
could cost them their lives.


239
00:42:50,680 --> 00:42:55,920
Once at sea, the nearest land
is 400 miles to the northeast
in Scandinavia.


240
00:43:01,440 --> 00:43:03,600
Even these far reaches of Europe


241
00:43:03,600 --> 00:43:06,680
attract birds
that over-wintered in Africa.


242
00:43:10,560 --> 00:43:14,960
Many ospreys make
the northern forests of Finland
their summer home,


243
00:43:14,960 --> 00:43:17,920
travelling over 4,000 miles
to get here.


244
00:43:19,400 --> 00:43:22,360
Good fishing ponds are scattered
throughout the forests,


245
00:43:22,360 --> 00:43:25,120
making it a popular place to nest.


246
00:43:36,240 --> 00:43:39,800
Brown bears are here
for the fishing too.


247
00:44:00,800 --> 00:44:02,400
It's an angler's paradise.


248
00:44:25,560 --> 00:44:28,320
There's always one that gets away!


249
00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:30,080
BEAR GROWLS


250
00:44:38,600 --> 00:44:41,080
Success this time.


251
00:44:41,080 --> 00:44:42,880
GROWLING AND GRUNTING


252
00:44:44,680 --> 00:44:47,640
It's this superabundance of fish


253
00:44:47,640 --> 00:44:51,880
that makes their 45-day journey here
worth all the effort.


254
00:44:56,360 --> 00:44:58,200
BIRD CHIRRUPS


255
00:45:06,320 --> 00:45:09,080
BEAR GRUNTS


256
00:45:12,400 --> 00:45:15,000
Ospreys have favourite
feeding perches


257
00:45:15,000 --> 00:45:17,280
which they return to time and again.


258
00:45:22,960 --> 00:45:24,960
BEAR GROWLS


259
00:45:26,120 --> 00:45:29,520
A mother bear knows
just where they are...


260
00:45:34,080 --> 00:45:36,040
GROWLING


261
00:45:39,720 --> 00:45:41,840
..and so do cubs.


262
00:45:42,840 --> 00:45:45,160
GRUNTING


263
00:45:56,640 --> 00:45:58,560
But ospreys are messy eaters.


264
00:45:58,560 --> 00:46:01,400
They usually leave
a few scraps behind.


265
00:46:05,000 --> 00:46:06,760
It's the perfect snack


266
00:46:06,760 --> 00:46:08,200
for a hungry bear.


267
00:46:12,560 --> 00:46:15,880
For the osprey, there's plenty more
fish in the pond.


268
00:46:56,520 --> 00:47:01,280
Further south, the bulb fields of
Holland bring a patchwork of colour


269
00:47:01,280 --> 00:47:04,680
to a landscape reclaimed by man
from salt marshes.


270
00:47:21,680 --> 00:47:24,840
In the past, cranes would have
stopped here to breed.


271
00:47:24,840 --> 00:47:26,920
Now they just keep on travelling.


272
00:47:31,440 --> 00:47:34,720
In Europe, migrating birds
have to be adaptable.


273
00:47:38,520 --> 00:47:42,040
Until recently,
windmills adorned the landscape.


274
00:47:42,040 --> 00:47:45,160
It's now wind turbines instead.


275
00:47:48,360 --> 00:47:51,160
Although wind farms can be
dangerous in bad weather,


276
00:47:51,160 --> 00:47:54,520
birds are usually canny enough
to avoid them.


277
00:48:02,400 --> 00:48:07,440
Mother cranes have no problem
steering their families
safely through the hazards.


278
00:48:07,440 --> 00:48:11,080
They have an appointment to make
and they must keep them moving.


279
00:48:11,080 --> 00:48:12,600
CRANES HONK


280
00:48:21,640 --> 00:48:23,640
They travelled 3,000 miles


281
00:48:23,640 --> 00:48:27,160
to reach a very special patch
of marsh in Sweden.


282
00:48:31,800 --> 00:48:34,200
They join thousands of
other families


283
00:48:34,200 --> 00:48:36,480
that have also made
the rendezvous on time.


284
00:48:47,880 --> 00:48:51,680
This is the most important social
event in the cranes' calendar.


285
00:49:21,200 --> 00:49:24,880
For the parents,
it's a place to renew their vows.


286
00:49:24,880 --> 00:49:27,120
HONKING


287
00:49:27,120 --> 00:49:31,600
They call in unison, a synchronised
duet that gets them in the mood.


288
00:49:35,120 --> 00:49:38,920
But the youngsters are also
searching for a soul mate.


289
00:49:40,800 --> 00:49:43,640
This young female seems free.


290
00:49:44,880 --> 00:49:47,280
Time for a young male
to make his move.


291
00:49:57,320 --> 00:50:00,000
He must dance to win her heart.


292
00:50:05,080 --> 00:50:07,400
She's hard to impress.


293
00:50:07,400 --> 00:50:10,400
He will have to raise his game
if he's to be taken seriously.


294
00:50:10,400 --> 00:50:12,320
HONKING


295
00:50:16,480 --> 00:50:20,120
Good dance moves
demand practice and determination.


296
00:50:28,720 --> 00:50:32,640
He rehearses his vertical leaps,
hoping to impress.


297
00:50:56,840 --> 00:50:58,760
Her interest is piqued.


298
00:51:10,640 --> 00:51:12,760
His efforts pay off.


299
00:51:12,760 --> 00:51:15,400
Now an item, they dance together.


300
00:51:22,320 --> 00:51:25,440
Their synchronised routine
ties the knot.


301
00:51:35,080 --> 00:51:39,520
Their enthusiasm is infectious.
It triggers a mass dance-off.


302
00:51:46,560 --> 00:51:48,840
The happy couple
leave the party early


303
00:51:48,840 --> 00:51:50,840
to start their new life together.


304
00:51:52,960 --> 00:51:55,920
And the dance goes on without them.


305
00:52:18,600 --> 00:52:23,400
Barnacle geese fly continuously
for days to reach the Arctic Ocean.


306
00:52:25,240 --> 00:52:26,440
It's hard work.


307
00:52:26,440 --> 00:52:30,240
For every breath they take,
their wings will beat three times.


308
00:52:35,200 --> 00:52:39,000
Once the fat reserves are gone,
they will start burning muscle.


309
00:52:40,000 --> 00:52:44,360
The last few miles are the hardest
but the destination is in sight.


310
00:52:45,320 --> 00:52:50,640
The Svalbard archipelago, midway
between Norway and the North Pole.


311
00:53:02,800 --> 00:53:07,520
Europe's furthest wilderness
may look a barren wasteland to us


312
00:53:07,520 --> 00:53:10,040
but it's paradise for the geese.


313
00:53:24,440 --> 00:53:28,320
24 hours of daylight provide
all the grazing time they need


314
00:53:28,320 --> 00:53:31,000
as they prepare to mate
and lay eggs.


315
00:53:35,120 --> 00:53:37,080
Back in the stork village,


316
00:53:37,080 --> 00:53:40,280
the return of the females
hasn't gone to plan.


317
00:53:40,280 --> 00:53:42,440
The males are still waiting.


318
00:53:42,440 --> 00:53:48,160
When weather conditions are bad,
whole flocks can get lost at sea.


319
00:53:49,440 --> 00:53:51,640
But things are looking up.


320
00:54:00,200 --> 00:54:01,920
The girls are back in town.


321
00:54:04,560 --> 00:54:07,480
The males can't contain
their excitement.


322
00:54:10,960 --> 00:54:13,080
CLATTERING OF BEAKS


323
00:54:16,720 --> 00:54:20,360
She remembers the location of
her nest and drops down to greet him.


324
00:54:27,640 --> 00:54:29,520
CLATTERING OF BEAKS


325
00:54:34,640 --> 00:54:37,680
Together at last,
they clatter a greeting.


326
00:54:40,800 --> 00:54:44,280
In Africa,
they spent eight months apart.


327
00:54:44,280 --> 00:54:47,000
Now they must get to know
each other again.


328
00:54:56,760 --> 00:54:59,160
Back on Svalbard, the barnacle geese


329
00:54:59,160 --> 00:55:01,800
are already experiencing
a baby boom.


330
00:55:12,200 --> 00:55:14,800
But this attracts a rare visitor.


331
00:55:37,840 --> 00:55:40,280
And chicks make a tasty snack.


332
00:55:53,520 --> 00:55:57,080
Mothers desperately
shepherd their young to safety.


333
00:56:03,800 --> 00:56:07,160
A lost chick is the first to go.


334
00:56:08,440 --> 00:56:10,480
THEY HONK


335
00:56:10,480 --> 00:56:12,320
And then another.


336
00:56:13,720 --> 00:56:17,400
The geese launch a counter-attack
but they can't manoeuvre easily.


337
00:56:17,400 --> 00:56:19,480
HONKING AND GRUNTING


338
00:56:23,840 --> 00:56:26,800
A hungry polar bear can wipe out
an entire colony.


339
00:56:30,320 --> 00:56:32,640
They desperately need reinforcements.


340
00:56:35,120 --> 00:56:40,240
Nesting Arctic terns join the aerial
assault, united by a common enemy.


341
00:56:42,600 --> 00:56:45,720
Their plan is to make
the bear's life a misery.


342
00:56:45,720 --> 00:56:47,760
CHIRRUPING


343
00:56:49,960 --> 00:56:51,320
More join the attack.


344
00:56:51,320 --> 00:56:52,920
HONKING


345
00:56:54,920 --> 00:56:57,560
The bear's irritation starts to show.


346
00:56:57,560 --> 00:56:59,680
BEAR GROWLS


347
00:56:59,680 --> 00:57:02,320
Skuas join the combat mission.


348
00:57:02,320 --> 00:57:05,400
Faster and more aggressive,
they drive home the attack.


349
00:57:05,400 --> 00:57:07,600
BEAR GROWLS


350
00:57:23,480 --> 00:57:27,080
Working together,
the birds have saved the colony.


351
00:57:31,040 --> 00:57:34,240
Although meeting polar bears
is an increasing problem,


352
00:57:34,240 --> 00:57:38,920
by nesting in the Arctic, the geese
avoid human disturbance altogether.


353
00:57:42,120 --> 00:57:45,720
But storks are among the many birds
that deliberately seek us out.


354
00:57:45,720 --> 00:57:49,480
They raise their young among us,
in the very heart of Europe.


355
00:58:00,480 --> 00:58:03,560
Like so many birds,
they have managed to prosper


356
00:58:03,560 --> 00:58:06,720
in a continent that we have changed
more than any other.


357
00:58:19,320 --> 00:58:23,480
Next time, condors and macaws will
take us on an extraordinary journey


358
00:58:23,480 --> 00:58:28,000
to discover the hidden secrets
of the South American continent.


359
00:58:39,000 --> 00:58:42,200
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd


360
00:58:42,200 --> 00:58:45,640
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