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(tranquil music)

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When winter descends upon Europe,

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many animals have no choice but to leave.

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The migrations of many discrete creatures

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have been a mystery until now.

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And yet they cross oceans and deserts,

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brave intense weather,

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and travel thousands of kilometers unabated.

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Thanks to recent scientific progress,

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we are finally able to follow their journey,

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and discover the secrets behind their incredible migrations.

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(tranquil music)

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Eleonora's falcon is one of the most iconic birds of prey

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in the Mediterranean region.

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(dramatic music)

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Shortly after the birth of its young,

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it undertakes an extraordinary journey

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towards its winter home in Madagascar.

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Deserts,

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rough seas,

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storms, nothing seems able to stop it.

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This remarkable 10,000 kilometer journey

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takes it from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean.

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(dramatic music)

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(dramatic music)

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Makares Island in the middle of the Aegean Sea in Greece

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is home to a large colony of Eleonora's falcons.

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(engine buzzing)

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At the end of August, Greek ornithologist, Nikos Tsiopelas,

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visits the island daily to track the colony's evolution.

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He's been studying their migration for 10 years.

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While most migratory birds head towards Africa in September,

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Eleonora's falcon only begins its journey a month later.

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As summer comes to a close, insect populations,

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which are at the heart of the falcon's diet,

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begin to dwindle,

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and yet this is exactly when the falcon chooses

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to raise its young.

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I can see at least two falcons flying over the cliff.

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They look like their hanging.

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(tranquil music)

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Towards the end of summer,

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a new source of protein becomes available

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for falcons to hunt and feed to their young, sparrows.

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Coming from the countries in Northern Europe,

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these delicate birds make a pit stop in the Greek islands,

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before continuing to Africa,

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where they will spend the winter.

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Unfortunately for them,

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Eleonora's falcons await them as they make their migration.

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(birds calling)

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The Eleonora's falcon is mainly an insectivorous species.

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It eats insects almost nine out of 12 months of the year.

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But it shifts its diet

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in order to provide its chicks with protein.

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It's far more nourishing than the insects,

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and that happens in late summer and during the autumn,

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when the migration is at its peak.

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(birds calling)

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So, every morning the falcons are getting high up in the sky

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and create a huge network of birds

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in the northern side of the island where they breed,

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so it's a net that is waiting for the migrant passerines

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to come towards the island.

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(birds calling)

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Although they normally hunt alone,

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the migration period prompts the falcons

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to adopt a group strategy.

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(dramatic music)

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They form a line to collectively stake out

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any migratory birds.

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Once their prey is in sight,

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all they need to do is dive down to catch them.

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This invisible net makes it impossible to escape.

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The passing sparrows can't avoid the trap

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that has been laid.

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It's an easy hunt.

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Eleonora's falcon

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is the only bird species in the Mediterranean

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that has shifted its breeding season from spring to autumn

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in order to get advantage

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of the current of migrant passerines.

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(birds calling)

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Within an Eleonora's falcon family

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the father usually takes care of hunting.

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After having his fill,

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the male passes his prey onto the female.

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(chicks squawking)

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The eggs take about one month, 27 days to hatch,

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and then it's another month, more or less,

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for the chicks to fly, and leave the nest.

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(birds calling)

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A couple usually gives birth to two fledglings.

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In order for both to develop properly,

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each needs to eat at least two sparrows a day.

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Without this minimum supply of protein,

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the chicks would not have enough reserves

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to complete their own migrations.

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(chicks squawking)

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The Eleonora's falcons are breeding colonially.

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The colony may be really dense

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in places where the nesting sites are less,

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so they have to pack up in smaller areas,

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but they can be loose colonies,

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in the island where you can find many, many good nests.

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This provides the falcons with the ability

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to fight off enemies and rivals

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that are much bigger than them,

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because they act socially, in groups.

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(tense music)

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Makares island also attracts

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other birds of prey, like the booted eagle.

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These birds compete with the falcon colonies for airspace,

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and the amount of prey available.

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(dramatic music)

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The falcons work together as a group

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to hassle the eagles and chase them away.

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The booted eagle has no choice but to hunt elsewhere.

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(tense music)

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This defense system is what guarantee's the falcon colony

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enough sparrows to feed all of their young.

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(falcon calling)

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For now these chicks still depend on their parents for food.

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(chicks squawking)

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But their first feathers are already visible,

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and in less than three weeks they'll leave the nest,

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and learn to fly on their own.

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The Columbretes Islands in Spain

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are another gathering ground

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for a colony of Eleonora's falcons.

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(tranquil music)

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(falcons calling)

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A few weeks have gone by.

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The frail fledglings have grown into juvenile birds,

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as evidenced by the bright-colored plumage on their torsos.

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Soon they'll take off on their own without their parents

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for their very first migration.

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(tranquil music)

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Ugo Mellone is an ornithologist and a wildlife photographer.

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He's working on a project that tracks Eleonora's falcons

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in an attempt to discover the secrets

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behind their migration.

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(falcons calling)

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We are here to catch a juvenile

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in order to apply a satellite transmitter,

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so we have to find a suitable individual that is old enough,

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enough big and old, to place the transmitter.

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Yes, indeed, I just can see an adult

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going inside the nest with the prey,

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so probably that is a nest down there.

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For the last 10 years or so

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the scientists have placed tracking devices on the falcons

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to follow their migrations.

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Last year they installed a transmitter

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on a five-year-old adult named Rossi.

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(exciting music)

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Rossi first crossed two ecological barriers,

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the Mediterranean Sea, followed by the Sahara Desert.

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He then flew over the African continent,

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all the way to Madagascar,

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an impressive 9,000 kilometer journey,

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wrapped in just four weeks.

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Rossi's trajectory matches the itinerary

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followed by most adult falcons.

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They already know the way,

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because they've undertaken the trip several times before.

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The juvenile falcons, however,

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will be making the journey on their own

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for the very first time.

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Scientists want to know more about their itinerary.

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We want to place a satellite transmitter

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on a juvenile Eleonora's falcons,

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because it will be very interesting to see

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how an unexperienced juvenile bird

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can accomplish such a long trip.

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Oh, yeah.

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Yeah, the adults fly from the nest,

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so it's a good time to go and check the nest.

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(dramatic music)

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Ugo Mellone needs to act quickly.

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He needs to capture the young bird

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and place the transmitter before the parents return.

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Placing a transmitter on a falcon is a delicate task,

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so Ugo has asked a colleague to help him.

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Vicente Urios, a professor at the University of Alicante,

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has mastered the technique.

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I got one!

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We'll be able to place it.

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Male or female?

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Female.

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Look how beautiful she is.

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(falcon chirping)

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The scientists cover the young falcon's eyes

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to reduce her stress level during the procedure.

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(speaking in foreign language)

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She's huge!

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Be careful she doesn't bite you with her beak.

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I'll hold her.

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Vicente Urios places the transmitter

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like a small backpack.

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He carefully stitches the straps together,

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avoiding the falcon's feathers.

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There, that should hold.

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The procedure is painless,

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and the transmitter is attached in a way

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that won't limit the falcon's movements.

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That's good, yeah?

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(falcon chirping)

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Keep it straight.

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That's perfect.

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Okay, I think we can put her back now.

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Yeah, let's go

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(tranquil music)

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The transmitter is in place.

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This small device will allow the scientist

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to monitor the young falcon's every movement via satellite.

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Ugo Mellone will hence be able to track its position

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from an ordinary computer.

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That's good, right?

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Yes, that's good.

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All right, good to go.

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Ugo named the young falcon Ana.

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(speaking in foreign language)

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She'll soon be two months old.

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In a few weeks Ana will be ready for her flight to Africa.

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I can see that the transmitter is working properly.

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Yes, indeed I can see here that Ana is still on the island,

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and is moving just there close to its nest.

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She probably will leave the island in a couple of weeks.

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She need now to learn how to fly properly,

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and to prepare for the long travel to Madagascar.

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(waves crashing)

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The time to take flight has not come yet.

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(tranquil music)

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Many young falcons like Ana

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are still discovering their own bodies.

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Others are ready to undertake their first flight.

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They take wing,

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while their parents oversee the learning process.

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(falcons calling)

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Eleonora's falcons migrate mainly by flapping flight,

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even if some soaring flight is also involved,

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if the conditions allow it.

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They make use of wind,

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especially when crossing ecological barriers.

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The allow to be drifted by the wind

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in order to accomplish the crossing as soon as possible.

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(tense music)

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An Eleonora's falcon reaches adult size

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when it hits adolescence.

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Small and light, they are only 40 centimeters long,

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and weigh 400 grams on average,

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yet their wings can reach up to one meter across.

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In comparison to the birds' bodies, that wingspan is huge.

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The force of their flapping wings

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is far superior to that of other soaring birds of prey,

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allowing the falcons to reach speeds

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up to 80 kilometers an hour.

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Weeks have gone by.

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September is coming to a close.

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(tranquil music)

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All adult falcons have already left.

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The juveniles are now fully independent.

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They know how to fly and hunt,

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but they remain on the island to build up their reserves.

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(tense music)

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Ugo decides to wait for Ana to leave.

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For the moment

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his young protege is still perfecting her flying technique.

270
00:18:13,546 --> 00:18:17,150
(computer beeping)

271
00:18:17,150 --> 00:18:19,563
But in a few days she'll be ready.

272
00:18:21,150 --> 00:18:23,730
And as soon as wind conditions are optimal,

273
00:18:23,730 --> 00:18:25,103
she'll take flight.

274
00:18:37,490 --> 00:18:39,860
A few days after her parents leave,

275
00:18:39,860 --> 00:18:42,593
Ana is finally ready for her long journey.

276
00:18:43,967 --> 00:18:46,717
(tranquil music)

277
00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:51,210
Like all Eleonora's falcons,

278
00:18:51,210 --> 00:18:53,850
she'll undertake her extraordinary migration

279
00:18:53,850 --> 00:18:56,603
of thousands of kilometers completely alone.

280
00:19:02,160 --> 00:19:04,630
Now it's Ugo's turn to leave.

281
00:19:04,630 --> 00:19:07,450
He's decided to follow Ana to Africa,

282
00:19:07,450 --> 00:19:10,656
a journey he'll also be taking for the first time.

283
00:19:10,656 --> 00:19:13,810
(lively music)

284
00:19:13,810 --> 00:19:15,760
Thanks to the Argos transmitter,

285
00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:18,723
he hopes to follow the path taken by the young female.

286
00:19:20,290 --> 00:19:22,020
The data provided by Rossi

287
00:19:22,020 --> 00:19:24,650
shows that he mostly traveled south.

288
00:19:24,650 --> 00:19:27,143
Ana seems to be taking the same path.

289
00:19:33,090 --> 00:19:34,710
Like all juveniles,

290
00:19:34,710 --> 00:19:37,220
Ana instinctively heads south,

291
00:19:37,220 --> 00:19:40,560
even though she's never made this journey before.

292
00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:42,170
How did these birds of prey,

293
00:19:42,170 --> 00:19:44,030
no matter their age or experience,

294
00:19:44,030 --> 00:19:46,311
know how to orient themselves?

295
00:19:46,311 --> 00:19:49,061
(doors rattling)

296
00:19:53,250 --> 00:19:54,890
It's not so light. (laughs)

297
00:19:54,890 --> 00:19:56,990
Nikos meets with Andre Murard,

298
00:19:56,990 --> 00:19:58,290
a seasoned air pilot.

299
00:19:58,290 --> 00:20:00,450
On the grass.
<v ->He's trying to understand

300
00:20:00,450 --> 00:20:03,283
how Andre determines his location while in flight.

301
00:20:04,300 --> 00:20:06,780
The ornithologist is hoping he can compare

302
00:20:06,780 --> 00:20:09,613
the pilot's techniques to those used by the falcon.

303
00:20:10,794 --> 00:20:13,528
(engine buzzing)

304
00:20:13,528 --> 00:20:16,278
(tranquil music)

305
00:20:29,454 --> 00:20:31,317
Do you see the bird, no? (laughs)

306
00:20:31,317 --> 00:20:32,150
No.

307
00:20:36,649 --> 00:20:40,567
What about navigate, about always, where are you, roughly?

308
00:20:40,567 --> 00:20:42,317
When I see the sky,

309
00:20:43,446 --> 00:20:47,613
the east is there, west is left, north, and south.

310
00:20:48,516 --> 00:20:52,433
Okay, so more or less you know where you are.

311
00:20:54,461 --> 00:20:57,175
I follow the landscape.

312
00:20:57,175 --> 00:20:59,342
This little town is Yenne.

313
00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:03,410
I see, this mountain

314
00:21:05,311 --> 00:21:06,644
is La Dobichale.

315
00:21:09,085 --> 00:21:13,019
With this type of plane we're obliged to fly

316
00:21:13,019 --> 00:21:16,403
only when we can see the ground.

317
00:21:18,570 --> 00:21:22,890
For the bird, they are more or less the same.

318
00:21:22,890 --> 00:21:26,012
They get to know the topography.

319
00:21:26,012 --> 00:21:28,460
They have landmarks, they know mountains,

320
00:21:28,460 --> 00:21:31,794
they can follow rivers, the know coastlines.

321
00:21:31,794 --> 00:21:34,490
With an eye, they have the ability,

322
00:21:34,490 --> 00:21:37,620
determine their position from the air, (speaks unclearly).

323
00:21:39,480 --> 00:21:42,800
Another very, very important, I think it's the sun.

324
00:21:42,800 --> 00:21:43,680
They can navigate

325
00:21:45,650 --> 00:21:50,274
with the angle of the sun in relation to the bird,

326
00:21:50,274 --> 00:21:52,941
so they don't use one each time,

327
00:21:54,159 --> 00:21:57,865
they use the combination of all those things,

328
00:21:57,865 --> 00:21:58,878
in different proportion.

329
00:21:58,878 --> 00:22:01,628
(engine buzzing)

330
00:22:04,218 --> 00:22:06,041
What if there's no visibility?

331
00:22:06,041 --> 00:22:09,942
What if it's night, or if you have heavy cloud?

332
00:22:09,942 --> 00:22:11,185
(Andre speaks unclearly)

333
00:22:11,185 --> 00:22:15,435
We have the compass, and we can see we are north.

334
00:22:17,530 --> 00:22:21,497
We can find many similarities with airplanes,

335
00:22:21,497 --> 00:22:22,940
like the compass.

336
00:22:22,940 --> 00:22:27,940
Proven that birds can feel the magnetic field of the Earth,

337
00:22:29,490 --> 00:22:34,357
and moreover, not only feel the magnet itself,

338
00:22:34,357 --> 00:22:36,507
but they have probably some

339
00:22:38,220 --> 00:22:42,280
special cells in their eyes

340
00:22:42,280 --> 00:22:47,197
that can create lines along the magnetic field,

341
00:22:47,197 --> 00:22:51,013
and they can see lines around all over the Earth.

342
00:22:51,013 --> 00:22:52,792
(falcon calling)

343
00:22:52,792 --> 00:22:55,542
(dramatic music)

344
00:23:00,890 --> 00:23:03,910
When Eleonora's falcons begin their migration,

345
00:23:03,910 --> 00:23:06,310
they use the Earth's natural magnetic field

346
00:23:06,310 --> 00:23:07,893
to orient themselves.

347
00:23:13,090 --> 00:23:15,590
The Earth behaves like a large magnet,

348
00:23:15,590 --> 00:23:18,290
with two opposing magnetic poles.

349
00:23:18,290 --> 00:23:20,950
The vertical lines that connect the north to the south

350
00:23:20,950 --> 00:23:22,660
represent the magnetic field

351
00:23:22,660 --> 00:23:26,483
generated by the Earth's liquid metal core deep underground.

352
00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:29,600
This magnetic field provides

353
00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:32,420
a precise north-south orientation,

354
00:23:32,420 --> 00:23:35,733
that coincides with the rotation axis of our planet.

355
00:23:39,120 --> 00:23:41,600
In order to migrate in the right direction,

356
00:23:41,600 --> 00:23:44,910
Eleonora's falcons use a combination of tools,

357
00:23:44,910 --> 00:23:49,040
visual memory, a solar and celestial compass,

358
00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:50,853
and the Earth's magnetic field.

359
00:23:55,660 --> 00:23:59,213
These tools ensure the birds migrate in the right direction.

360
00:24:00,807 --> 00:24:03,557
(dramatic music)

361
00:24:12,510 --> 00:24:14,490
Ugo has arrived in Mali,

362
00:24:14,490 --> 00:24:16,840
on the border between the desert and the Sahel.

363
00:24:24,770 --> 00:24:27,610
He discovers an ecosystem which seems ideal

364
00:24:27,610 --> 00:24:29,983
for falcon rest and recuperation.

365
00:24:41,970 --> 00:24:45,340
Accompanied by his guide, Usmain Samaseko,

366
00:24:45,340 --> 00:24:47,250
Ugo settles in for a few days,

367
00:24:47,250 --> 00:24:49,353
in the hopes of seeing Ana.

368
00:24:49,353 --> 00:24:51,620
(tea splashing)

369
00:24:51,620 --> 00:24:54,040
The bird we are talking about

370
00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:57,803
is very difficult to see here, because they fly here,

371
00:24:59,140 --> 00:25:02,400
but they fly on a very broad front.

372
00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:05,790
I suspect that in this, in the whole Mali,

373
00:25:05,790 --> 00:25:07,790
at least 3,000, 4,000 Eleonora's falcons

374
00:25:09,290 --> 00:25:11,790
pass every migration in one month,

375
00:25:11,790 --> 00:25:14,387
but to see one is very difficult.

376
00:25:15,827 --> 00:25:18,744
(glasses clinking)

377
00:25:21,910 --> 00:25:23,890
You like?
<v ->Best thing after a day

378
00:25:23,890 --> 00:25:24,810
like this one.

379
00:25:24,810 --> 00:25:27,155
Thank you. (laughs)

380
00:25:27,155 --> 00:25:29,905
(tranquil music)

381
00:25:33,740 --> 00:25:36,360
Ugo nervously pulls up the latest saved data

382
00:25:36,360 --> 00:25:38,393
from Ana's Argos transmitter.

383
00:25:42,230 --> 00:25:44,420
He sees that the young falcon managed

384
00:25:44,420 --> 00:25:47,583
to cross the Mediterranean without a single stop.

385
00:25:49,300 --> 00:25:51,350
Eight hours after leaving the island,

386
00:25:51,350 --> 00:25:54,393
she reached Africa near the Algerian coast.

387
00:25:56,010 --> 00:25:58,767
But now she has to tackle the Sahara Desert.

388
00:26:07,623 --> 00:26:10,150
The desert is an ecological barrier.

389
00:26:10,150 --> 00:26:12,950
That means an area where they cannot forage,

390
00:26:12,950 --> 00:26:15,120
and where any weather change

391
00:26:15,120 --> 00:26:17,720
can be very hazardous for their survival.

392
00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:21,500
Therefore they try to overcome it as soon as possible,

393
00:26:21,500 --> 00:26:23,553
flying sometimes also during the night.

394
00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:30,210
For Ana quickly crossing the Sahara Desert

395
00:26:30,210 --> 00:26:32,620
is a matter of survival.

396
00:26:32,620 --> 00:26:35,100
She'll have to overcome its sheer immensity,

397
00:26:35,100 --> 00:26:38,089
in addition to the infernal temperatures.

398
00:26:38,089 --> 00:26:39,900
(dramatic music)

399
00:26:39,900 --> 00:26:44,770
Strong headwinds, sandstorms, exhaustion,

400
00:26:44,770 --> 00:26:47,410
none of these are in Ana's favor,

401
00:26:47,410 --> 00:26:50,540
and yet her instinct to migrate at all cost,

402
00:26:50,540 --> 00:26:53,260
an innate part in every Eleonora's falcon,

403
00:26:53,260 --> 00:26:54,543
drives her onward.

404
00:27:06,670 --> 00:27:08,430
Four days have passed,

405
00:27:08,430 --> 00:27:10,710
and Ugo was still waiting to find out

406
00:27:10,710 --> 00:27:13,529
if Ana survived her Sahara crossing.

407
00:27:13,529 --> 00:27:16,279
(tranquil music)

408
00:27:19,833 --> 00:27:22,750
(computer beeping)

409
00:27:25,370 --> 00:27:27,115
Okay, very good news.

410
00:27:27,115 --> 00:27:28,460
Ana completed successfully

411
00:27:28,460 --> 00:27:31,120
the crossing of the Sahara Desert,

412
00:27:31,120 --> 00:27:34,530
and now is enjoying this new habitat, the Sahel,

413
00:27:34,530 --> 00:27:36,450
which is very productive,

414
00:27:36,450 --> 00:27:39,080
because we are just a few weeks

415
00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:41,110
after end of the rain season,

416
00:27:41,110 --> 00:27:43,120
and there are a lot of insects

417
00:27:43,120 --> 00:27:46,140
with which Ana can replenish its energy stores,

418
00:27:46,140 --> 00:27:49,544
and continue the migration towards the Madagascar.

419
00:27:49,544 --> 00:27:52,430
(exciting music)

420
00:27:52,430 --> 00:27:53,970
Like Rossi before her,

421
00:27:53,970 --> 00:27:56,750
Ana successfully crossed the Sahara Desert,

422
00:27:56,750 --> 00:27:59,860
without stopping, and in just four days.

423
00:27:59,860 --> 00:28:01,640
It's an incredible achievement,

424
00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:04,560
considering the immensity of this sand barrier,

425
00:28:04,560 --> 00:28:07,830
over 2,500 kilometers wide.

426
00:28:07,830 --> 00:28:11,220
But Rossi chose to fly much farther east than Ana.

427
00:28:11,220 --> 00:28:13,920
His migration experience must've taught him

428
00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:16,073
to take a more direct route to Madagascar.

429
00:28:27,390 --> 00:28:30,750
The young female has once again become an insectivore

430
00:28:30,750 --> 00:28:31,583
in the Sahel.

431
00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:43,410
After a few weeks of rest in Mali,

432
00:28:43,410 --> 00:28:45,500
she has replenished her reserves,

433
00:28:45,500 --> 00:28:47,013
and resumes her migration.

434
00:28:52,130 --> 00:28:56,530
Since the beginning Ana has been heading south,

435
00:28:56,530 --> 00:28:59,993
but suddenly she radically changes direction.

436
00:29:02,480 --> 00:29:06,003
Her transmitter indicates she's now going directly east.

437
00:29:07,260 --> 00:29:09,623
What caused this sudden change in course?

438
00:29:13,230 --> 00:29:16,530
Ana went south when she left the Columbretes Islands,

439
00:29:16,530 --> 00:29:18,890
guided by the Earth's magnetic field,

440
00:29:18,890 --> 00:29:22,053
her solar compass, and celestial navigation.

441
00:29:24,540 --> 00:29:25,703
But that's not all.

442
00:29:26,916 --> 00:29:28,120
Ornithologists have shown

443
00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:30,100
that the direction and length of the flight

444
00:29:30,100 --> 00:29:32,563
are programmed in these birds' genetic code.

445
00:29:34,970 --> 00:29:37,853
Scientists call this vector navigation.

446
00:29:41,130 --> 00:29:43,090
This is what allows falcons to know

447
00:29:43,090 --> 00:29:45,833
in which direction to fly, and for how long.

448
00:29:48,210 --> 00:29:51,860
This explains how Ana, after flying south for six days,

449
00:29:51,860 --> 00:29:54,833
knew she needed to change course and head east.

450
00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:01,760
This extraordinary tool is useful for all falcons,

451
00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:03,210
but vital for juveniles

452
00:30:03,210 --> 00:30:06,133
making the very first migration of their lives.

453
00:30:09,330 --> 00:30:11,660
It enables them to instinctively know the way,

454
00:30:11,660 --> 00:30:13,360
without having traveled it before.

455
00:30:28,260 --> 00:30:31,350
The transmitter continues to track Ana's movements,

456
00:30:31,350 --> 00:30:32,830
revealing more differences

457
00:30:32,830 --> 00:30:35,143
between a young falcon and an adult.

458
00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:38,130
It only took Rossi three weeks

459
00:30:38,130 --> 00:30:40,273
to reach Madagascar from Nigeria.

460
00:30:41,810 --> 00:30:45,893
In the same amount of time Ana has only made it to Sudan.

461
00:30:48,340 --> 00:30:53,340
Adults already have experience on navigation, on hunting,

462
00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:56,390
and therefore they got enough fuel,

463
00:30:56,390 --> 00:30:59,200
enough fat stores before the migration,

464
00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:02,390
in order to accomplish it with very few stopovers.

465
00:31:02,390 --> 00:31:06,260
On the other hand, juveniles are less able to feed,

466
00:31:06,260 --> 00:31:07,760
and therefore they will move

467
00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:10,500
according to the distribution of local resources,

468
00:31:10,500 --> 00:31:15,436
sometimes for very few tens of kilometers for each day.

469
00:31:15,436 --> 00:31:18,186
(tranquil music)

470
00:31:21,935 --> 00:31:25,018
(lively vocal music)

471
00:31:41,090 --> 00:31:43,210
Ana continues her migration,

472
00:31:43,210 --> 00:31:45,943
and begins to fly at a faster pace.

473
00:31:48,560 --> 00:31:50,440
Ugo explores the ecosystems

474
00:31:50,440 --> 00:31:52,293
that she crosses along her journey.

475
00:32:16,082 --> 00:32:19,665
Ugo stops to pull up Ana's latest position.

476
00:32:27,440 --> 00:32:32,440
Once again the data reveals some surprising information.

477
00:32:32,777 --> 00:32:34,860
(computer beeping)

478
00:32:34,860 --> 00:32:36,700
After arriving in Kenya,

479
00:32:36,700 --> 00:32:40,310
Ana once again sharply altered course towards the south.

480
00:32:40,310 --> 00:32:43,731
(dramatic music)

481
00:32:43,731 --> 00:32:45,570
On the regions near the equator,

482
00:32:45,570 --> 00:32:47,663
the Earth's magnetic field is weak.

483
00:32:50,510 --> 00:32:53,040
According to Ugo, even though falcons can use

484
00:32:53,040 --> 00:32:55,750
the sun and the stars to orient themselves,

485
00:32:55,750 --> 00:32:57,890
this weakness in the magnetic field

486
00:32:57,890 --> 00:33:00,790
forces Ana to use other directional guides

487
00:33:00,790 --> 00:33:03,501
to make precise course corrections.

488
00:33:03,501 --> 00:33:06,251
(falcon calling)

489
00:33:07,900 --> 00:33:11,220
For adults, we believe that the geomagnetic information

490
00:33:11,220 --> 00:33:13,780
is less useful when crossing the equator,

491
00:33:13,780 --> 00:33:15,710
and therefore we can speculate

492
00:33:15,710 --> 00:33:20,040
that Eleonora's falcons use also other cues,

493
00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:23,910
for example also the landscape's characteristics,

494
00:33:23,910 --> 00:33:26,190
the positions of some big mountains,

495
00:33:26,190 --> 00:33:28,743
such as for example the Kilimanjaro.

496
00:33:28,743 --> 00:33:30,730
(elephants rumbling)

497
00:33:30,730 --> 00:33:33,090
However, the juvenile Eleonora's falcons

498
00:33:33,090 --> 00:33:36,360
are traveling across an unknown landscape,

499
00:33:36,360 --> 00:33:39,393
because it's the first time, the first migration for them.

500
00:33:40,510 --> 00:33:43,486
Maybe they can use even infrasounds.

501
00:33:43,486 --> 00:33:46,236
(tranquil music)

502
00:33:47,352 --> 00:33:48,730
Infrasound is defined

503
00:33:48,730 --> 00:33:51,180
as any low-frequency sound that falls

504
00:33:51,180 --> 00:33:53,303
outside the limit of human hearing.

505
00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:58,010
Infrasounds can be created by things like storms,

506
00:33:58,010 --> 00:34:00,253
or the wind simply blowing on a mountain.

507
00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:05,860
These sound waves can travel thousands of kilometers.

508
00:34:05,860 --> 00:34:07,510
Eleonora's falcons are believed

509
00:34:07,510 --> 00:34:09,493
to have the ability to detect them.

510
00:34:11,160 --> 00:34:14,980
According to certain scientists it's these infrasounds,

511
00:34:14,980 --> 00:34:17,650
combined with solar and celestial navigation,

512
00:34:17,650 --> 00:34:20,263
that convince juvenile birds to change course.

513
00:34:21,420 --> 00:34:24,803
This would explain why Ana suddenly branched south.

514
00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:31,720
(elephant grunting)

515
00:34:31,720 --> 00:34:35,597
So, probably infrasounds create a landscape,

516
00:34:35,597 --> 00:34:39,733
a vibration landscape, that can be sensed by some species.

517
00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:45,140
In this kind of landscape, big landmasses,

518
00:34:45,140 --> 00:34:49,210
prominent topographical feature, can trigger huge changes

519
00:34:49,210 --> 00:34:51,290
that can be detected by these birds.

520
00:34:51,290 --> 00:34:55,550
So definitely, infrasounds could be among the answers

521
00:34:55,550 --> 00:34:58,400
to resolve this mystery of the orientation

522
00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:00,551
of juvenile Eleonora's falcons.

523
00:35:00,551 --> 00:35:03,301
(tranquil music)

524
00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:09,200
The invisible network

525
00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:11,690
created by these mysterious infrasounds

526
00:35:11,690 --> 00:35:14,080
could explore how young Eleonora's falcons

527
00:35:14,080 --> 00:35:18,120
orient themselves confidently in unfamiliar territory,

528
00:35:18,120 --> 00:35:21,566
especially if magnetic information is sparse.

529
00:35:21,566 --> 00:35:24,483
(children yelling)

530
00:35:25,990 --> 00:35:27,630
Since leaving Mali,

531
00:35:27,630 --> 00:35:30,863
Ana crossed Africa from west to east in four weeks.

532
00:35:34,830 --> 00:35:37,000
After passing Cameroon,

533
00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:40,160
the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Sudan,

534
00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:42,810
she flew over Lake Victoria.

535
00:35:42,810 --> 00:35:46,617
Ana is now over the great Serengeti plains of Tanzania.

536
00:35:46,617 --> 00:35:49,117
(tense music)

537
00:35:50,413 --> 00:35:52,860
(falcon calling)

538
00:35:52,860 --> 00:35:55,700
Only 46 days after leaving the nest,

539
00:35:55,700 --> 00:35:59,327
Ana arrives in Mozambique, where insects abound.

540
00:36:05,259 --> 00:36:07,890
But the area also attract many other raptors,

541
00:36:07,890 --> 00:36:10,963
reducing the amount of prey available to the falcons.

542
00:36:12,660 --> 00:36:14,970
Ana will have to quickly be on her way again

543
00:36:14,970 --> 00:36:18,773
towards her final destination, the island of Madagascar.

544
00:36:24,300 --> 00:36:27,217
(engines whirring)

545
00:36:30,410 --> 00:36:32,160
Ugo decides to wait for Ana

546
00:36:32,160 --> 00:36:34,130
on the northeast side of the island,

547
00:36:34,130 --> 00:36:37,173
where Rossi finished his migration the previous year.

548
00:36:39,337 --> 00:36:40,950
Eleonora's falcons can be found

549
00:36:40,950 --> 00:36:43,013
all over the island of Madagascar,

550
00:36:44,060 --> 00:36:47,480
but according to observations by local ornithologists,

551
00:36:47,480 --> 00:36:48,850
this is the part of the island

552
00:36:48,850 --> 00:36:51,493
where Ugo has the best chances of seeing them.

553
00:36:52,330 --> 00:36:55,560
Birds of prey tend to settle within primary forests,

554
00:36:55,560 --> 00:36:57,493
which are difficult to access.

555
00:37:00,350 --> 00:37:04,942
Ugo meets with Armand Marozafy, an experienced local guide.

556
00:37:04,942 --> 00:37:07,760
(speaking in foreign language)

557
00:37:07,760 --> 00:37:09,890
He spotted falcons a few days ago

558
00:37:09,890 --> 00:37:11,850
in a distant part of the forest.

559
00:37:11,850 --> 00:37:13,554
Hello.
<v ->Hello.

560
00:37:13,554 --> 00:37:15,028
I'm Ugo.
<v ->Yeah, yeah, I'm Armand.

561
00:37:15,028 --> 00:37:17,905
Welcome to you.
Nice to meet you.

562
00:37:17,905 --> 00:37:19,402
Here is Leon.
<v ->Ugo.

563
00:37:19,402 --> 00:37:22,670
Here is Gino.
<v ->Nice to meet you.

564
00:37:22,670 --> 00:37:23,503
Okay.

565
00:37:24,940 --> 00:37:27,770
(computer beeping)

566
00:37:27,770 --> 00:37:32,553
So, like I told you, I am studying Eleonora's falcons.

567
00:37:33,794 --> 00:37:36,540
As you know, the best area in Madagascar

568
00:37:37,982 --> 00:37:40,390
for wintering Eleonora's falcon

569
00:37:40,390 --> 00:37:43,130
is just here in the northeast, in this area.

570
00:37:43,130 --> 00:37:46,220
So, I don't know if it's possible to reach just this area,

571
00:37:46,220 --> 00:37:49,730
or to go at least in the nearbies to check this area.

572
00:37:49,730 --> 00:37:53,393
I think there are possibility to see the falcons.

573
00:37:54,410 --> 00:37:55,740
Yeah, yeah.

574
00:37:55,740 --> 00:37:57,030
Since you wrote me email,

575
00:37:57,030 --> 00:37:59,750
when I took other people here, I check,

576
00:37:59,750 --> 00:38:02,280
and there in valleys, I have seen one couple,

577
00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:03,387
and then in the other place,

578
00:38:03,387 --> 00:38:05,343
also I have seen the other couple.

579
00:38:06,640 --> 00:38:09,790
Sometimes between, not only to that place,

580
00:38:09,790 --> 00:38:14,003
but in some area also, they flying when they hunt.

581
00:38:15,070 --> 00:38:18,670
Hunt something, like a dragonfly, or like cicadas.

582
00:38:18,670 --> 00:38:21,003
Ah, cicadas, ah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's great.

583
00:38:21,003 --> 00:38:23,603
So okay, so we can start today already.

584
00:38:23,603 --> 00:38:25,223
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

585
00:38:25,223 --> 00:38:27,720
(dramatic music)

586
00:38:27,720 --> 00:38:29,320
From here we have to take a boat.

587
00:38:29,320 --> 00:38:32,470
We have to bring our own food, we have to bring our tent.

588
00:38:32,470 --> 00:38:33,540
There is a lot of water?

589
00:38:33,540 --> 00:38:36,150
Yeah, and her, some something, but we need her,

590
00:38:36,150 --> 00:38:37,120
and we, we'd camp for her,

591
00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:39,793
in the place where we could find when is here.

592
00:38:54,104 --> 00:38:56,854
(tranquil music)

593
00:38:59,750 --> 00:39:02,170
The boat is faster than traveling by foot,

594
00:39:02,170 --> 00:39:04,833
and it saves the team an extra day of travel.

595
00:39:08,030 --> 00:39:10,840
But it will still take many hours to reach the area

596
00:39:10,840 --> 00:39:12,863
where Armand spotted the falcons.

597
00:39:15,227 --> 00:39:17,727
(tense music)

598
00:39:22,410 --> 00:39:25,140
Ugo has never observed Eleonora's falcons

599
00:39:25,140 --> 00:39:27,133
anywhere outside the Mediterranean.

600
00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:36,520
In such a sea of vegetation,

601
00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:38,913
the odds of him spotting a falcon are low.

602
00:39:44,113 --> 00:39:45,772
(animals calling)

603
00:39:45,772 --> 00:39:47,772
Ah, that one is, um...

604
00:39:52,371 --> 00:39:54,150
Ah, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

605
00:39:54,150 --> 00:39:56,200
Ah, you see, there, the red ruffed lemur.

606
00:39:57,241 --> 00:39:58,074
Ah, there it is.

607
00:39:58,074 --> 00:39:59,624
They live in groups,

608
00:39:59,624 --> 00:40:03,553
of, for example, between three, until eight, one group.

609
00:40:09,290 --> 00:40:11,721
Most of the time the female are the leader,

610
00:40:11,721 --> 00:40:13,463
the leader of the group.

611
00:40:13,463 --> 00:40:16,296
(animals calling)

612
00:40:18,100 --> 00:40:19,650
Yeah, he's moving very quick.

613
00:40:22,310 --> 00:40:23,610
Okay, let's go.

614
00:40:30,935 --> 00:40:33,435
(tense music)

615
00:40:38,090 --> 00:40:39,470
To increase their chances

616
00:40:39,470 --> 00:40:41,570
of spotting an Eleonora's falcon,

617
00:40:41,570 --> 00:40:43,983
Ugo and Armand must find a clearing.

618
00:40:49,570 --> 00:40:52,420
In such a dense forest, these open spaces

619
00:40:52,420 --> 00:40:55,450
are ideal hunting grounds for birds of prey.

620
00:40:55,450 --> 00:40:58,353
Finally we are arriving.

621
00:40:59,480 --> 00:41:02,523
This is the place where we are going to camp.

622
00:41:10,470 --> 00:41:12,880
They must set up camp quickly.

623
00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:16,853
Here the seasonal rains fall daily, and in abundance.

624
00:41:19,440 --> 00:41:21,130
They have to stay alert,

625
00:41:21,130 --> 00:41:24,040
as a falcon can appear at any moment.

626
00:41:24,040 --> 00:41:25,170
(bird calling)

627
00:41:25,170 --> 00:41:27,988
Ugo won't have a lot of time to study it.

628
00:41:27,988 --> 00:41:30,821
(animals calling)

629
00:41:37,013 --> 00:41:39,820
(fire crackling)

630
00:41:39,820 --> 00:41:44,070
(men speaking in foreign language)

631
00:41:47,047 --> 00:41:47,919
Thank you.
<v ->Yeah, yeah.

632
00:41:47,919 --> 00:41:49,410
You can share it.

633
00:41:49,410 --> 00:41:52,343
So tomorrow, is it okay for you if we meet at,

634
00:41:53,300 --> 00:41:55,190
I would say, half past five?

635
00:41:55,190 --> 00:41:56,170
Half past five, it's okay,

636
00:41:56,170 --> 00:42:00,163
because bird, we have to go wake up very early morning.

637
00:42:03,550 --> 00:42:04,840
It's difficult to see them,

638
00:42:04,840 --> 00:42:07,170
because they occupy a big region,

639
00:42:07,170 --> 00:42:11,630
I mean, on the northeast of Madagascar, so even if the,

640
00:42:11,630 --> 00:42:16,100
almost, the whole world population comes to this region,

641
00:42:16,100 --> 00:42:18,360
they move across a big range

642
00:42:18,360 --> 00:42:20,730
in order to search for their preys.

643
00:42:20,730 --> 00:42:25,400
Can you guess how many Eleonor falcon in Madagascar,

644
00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:26,660
during the winter?
Well,

645
00:42:26,660 --> 00:42:28,021
it seems there are,

646
00:42:28,021 --> 00:42:32,353
I mean, the world population is around 14,000 birds,

647
00:42:33,410 --> 00:42:36,010
so I mean, also considering the juveniles,

648
00:42:36,010 --> 00:42:40,490
maybe 40,000 and 50,000 birds coming every year.

649
00:42:40,490 --> 00:42:41,920
Every year in Madagascar?
<v ->But I mean,

650
00:42:41,920 --> 00:42:44,983
these are just estimations, we cannot be sure.

651
00:42:55,810 --> 00:42:58,560
(dramatic music)

652
00:43:34,868 --> 00:43:36,701
Look, look!

653
00:43:40,555 --> 00:43:43,137
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's him, it's him!

654
00:43:43,137 --> 00:43:46,157
It's him?
<v ->Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

655
00:43:46,157 --> 00:43:47,279
Wow!

656
00:43:47,279 --> 00:43:51,070
It's a girl, or another bird?

657
00:43:51,070 --> 00:43:53,659
Yeah, it's a dark mouth, it's an adult.

658
00:43:53,659 --> 00:43:55,298
Can you see?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

659
00:43:55,298 --> 00:43:56,564
I see the beak.

660
00:43:56,564 --> 00:44:00,238
Even without binocular, I can see the beak, little bit.

661
00:44:00,238 --> 00:44:01,523
Yeah, okay.

662
00:44:02,902 --> 00:44:04,710
(falcon calling)

663
00:44:04,710 --> 00:44:06,118
Oh, she's gone.

664
00:44:06,118 --> 00:44:08,280
(dramatic music)

665
00:44:08,280 --> 00:44:09,980
Now it's going there to the right.

666
00:44:14,940 --> 00:44:16,695
Now, now, yeah, yeah, yeah.

667
00:44:16,695 --> 00:44:17,528
I think--
Yeah, yeah.

668
00:44:17,528 --> 00:44:18,710
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's here.

669
00:44:18,710 --> 00:44:20,020
It's gone behind the ridge.

670
00:44:20,020 --> 00:44:21,348
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

671
00:44:21,348 --> 00:44:23,410
But I think we can remain here,

672
00:44:23,410 --> 00:44:26,240
because this falcon was here.

673
00:44:26,240 --> 00:44:28,610
It means maybe it's a suitable area,

674
00:44:28,610 --> 00:44:29,883
so maybe we can see more.

675
00:44:33,100 --> 00:44:35,750
It's interesting, because here is an open area.

676
00:44:35,750 --> 00:44:37,450
I mean, it's a second-growth forest,

677
00:44:37,450 --> 00:44:39,740
and it's very close to the primary forest.

678
00:44:39,740 --> 00:44:41,530
Probably the primary forest

679
00:44:41,530 --> 00:44:45,973
is somehow a source of food for Eleonora's falcon.

680
00:44:47,279 --> 00:44:50,029
(wings flapping)

681
00:44:52,480 --> 00:44:56,840
So, they take advantage of a so-called spillover effect

682
00:44:56,840 --> 00:44:59,363
of preys escaping the forest,

683
00:45:00,260 --> 00:45:02,356
and they hunt in these open areas.

684
00:45:02,356 --> 00:45:03,189
In this open area.

685
00:45:04,621 --> 00:45:07,860
How do you think about the threat?

686
00:45:07,860 --> 00:45:11,210
'Cause here, you talk about open area in the forest.

687
00:45:11,210 --> 00:45:14,300
For example, in Madagascar we have deforestation,

688
00:45:14,300 --> 00:45:15,740
and so on.
Ah, yeah, yeah.

689
00:45:15,740 --> 00:45:19,800
On the short term, it may seems contradictory,

690
00:45:19,800 --> 00:45:23,560
but deforestation may even advantage Eleonora's falcons,

691
00:45:23,560 --> 00:45:25,160
because it's creating these open areas,

692
00:45:25,160 --> 00:45:26,860
but I think that in the long term,

693
00:45:26,860 --> 00:45:28,478
this is completely deleterious.

694
00:45:28,478 --> 00:45:30,978
(tense music)

695
00:45:32,780 --> 00:45:34,040
In Madagascar,

696
00:45:34,040 --> 00:45:37,480
rampant deforestation is threatening the very existence

697
00:45:37,480 --> 00:45:39,943
of part of the island's primary forests.

698
00:45:41,310 --> 00:45:45,470
The population soared from 15 to 26 million inhabitants

699
00:45:45,470 --> 00:45:47,820
in just 20 years.

700
00:45:47,820 --> 00:45:51,130
For sustenance, the Malagasy are transforming the forests

701
00:45:51,130 --> 00:45:53,663
into rice paddies at an alarming rate.

702
00:45:57,400 --> 00:46:00,943
If something happens here in Madagascar,

703
00:46:02,407 --> 00:46:03,360
it will have a effect

704
00:46:03,360 --> 00:46:05,240
on the whole population of Eleonora's falcons,

705
00:46:05,240 --> 00:46:08,697
so we can do whatever action to save the species

706
00:46:08,697 --> 00:46:11,470
in the breeding areas in the small islands,

707
00:46:11,470 --> 00:46:14,927
but if something is happening here,

708
00:46:14,927 --> 00:46:17,623
all our efforts will be useless.

709
00:46:17,623 --> 00:46:20,956
(birds twittering)

710
00:46:20,956 --> 00:46:22,480
(tranquil music)

711
00:46:22,480 --> 00:46:24,690
For now, Eleonora's falcons

712
00:46:24,690 --> 00:46:27,660
that successfully complete the journey to Madagascar,

713
00:46:27,660 --> 00:46:30,670
can enjoy the mild local climate.

714
00:46:30,670 --> 00:46:33,340
It's still too early to evaluate the effects

715
00:46:33,340 --> 00:46:36,823
deforestation will have on the falcon population.

716
00:46:42,380 --> 00:46:46,203
Back at camp, Ugo pulls up the latest Argos data.

717
00:46:47,360 --> 00:46:51,403
Ana just left Mozambique, and is on her way to Madagascar.

718
00:46:52,960 --> 00:46:56,690
I am a bit concerned, because there is an hurricane

719
00:46:56,690 --> 00:47:00,690
moving across the western part of the Indian Ocean,

720
00:47:00,690 --> 00:47:05,160
so I hope that Ana will not have to cross the area

721
00:47:05,160 --> 00:47:06,700
interested by the hurricane,

722
00:47:06,700 --> 00:47:08,296
because it could be very dangerous

723
00:47:08,296 --> 00:47:10,383
for a bird like an Eleonora's falcon.

724
00:47:10,383 --> 00:47:13,237
(falcon shrieking)

725
00:47:13,237 --> 00:47:16,154
(thunder rumbling)

726
00:47:23,695 --> 00:47:26,445
(rain splashing)

727
00:47:39,528 --> 00:47:42,445
(computer beeping)

728
00:47:49,765 --> 00:47:51,000
Okay, very good news,

729
00:47:51,000 --> 00:47:53,870
because Ana crossed the Mozambique Channel

730
00:47:53,870 --> 00:47:55,810
without major problems.

731
00:47:55,810 --> 00:47:59,580
And I am very happy for this because we can say that

732
00:48:00,680 --> 00:48:05,680
she overcame the most difficult stage of his entire life.

733
00:48:09,750 --> 00:48:11,722
Usually among migrating birds,

734
00:48:11,722 --> 00:48:14,070
the first migration is the moment in their life

735
00:48:14,070 --> 00:48:17,545
when the mortality risk is highest.

736
00:48:17,545 --> 00:48:20,810
(tranquil music)

737
00:48:20,810 --> 00:48:22,770
While up to 50% of the juveniles

738
00:48:22,770 --> 00:48:25,160
don't survive their first migration,

739
00:48:25,160 --> 00:48:27,483
Ana's efforts were victorious.

740
00:48:30,460 --> 00:48:35,460
After 47 days of intense traveling, over 13,000 kilometers,

741
00:48:35,520 --> 00:48:37,983
she has finally made it to her destination.

742
00:48:44,254 --> 00:48:46,780
(tense music)

743
00:48:46,780 --> 00:48:48,960
Ana took three weeks longer than Rossi

744
00:48:48,960 --> 00:48:50,193
to get to Madagascar.

745
00:48:51,630 --> 00:48:54,180
She stopped to feed a lot more often,

746
00:48:54,180 --> 00:48:56,870
and struggled to orient herself,

747
00:48:56,870 --> 00:49:00,713
but overall, her first migration was still a success.

748
00:49:09,961 --> 00:49:13,040
(waves splashing)

749
00:49:13,040 --> 00:49:15,400
Yet, in spite of all the new transmitter data

750
00:49:15,400 --> 00:49:19,383
collected by scientists, certain questions remain.

751
00:49:21,860 --> 00:49:23,600
So, among the many mysteries

752
00:49:23,600 --> 00:49:26,500
that still we have to solve as a scientist,

753
00:49:26,500 --> 00:49:28,528
concerning the movements of Eleonora's falcon,

754
00:49:28,528 --> 00:49:30,470
I would, I liked maybe,

755
00:49:30,470 --> 00:49:33,020
the one concerning the orientation system

756
00:49:33,020 --> 00:49:36,550
used by juvenile birds, because really, as far as I know,

757
00:49:36,550 --> 00:49:38,953
there are no other birds

758
00:49:38,953 --> 00:49:42,410
performing alone their first migration,

759
00:49:42,410 --> 00:49:45,580
and reaching such a restricted wintering area,

760
00:49:45,580 --> 00:49:47,463
moreover, located on an island.

761
00:49:49,699 --> 00:49:52,449
(tranquil music)

762
00:50:13,320 --> 00:50:15,120
Six months have passed.

763
00:50:16,430 --> 00:50:18,130
In the Columbretes Islands,

764
00:50:18,130 --> 00:50:20,735
Eleonora's falcons are back in force.

765
00:50:20,735 --> 00:50:22,980
(dramatic music)

766
00:50:22,980 --> 00:50:26,290
The start of summer kicks off mating season,

767
00:50:26,290 --> 00:50:28,630
and although they traveled alone,

768
00:50:28,630 --> 00:50:31,913
the falcon couples are reunited to reproduce.

769
00:50:38,440 --> 00:50:41,380
Some females are preparing to lay their eggs,

770
00:50:41,380 --> 00:50:44,633
while other nests contain eggs that are ready to hatch.

771
00:50:46,410 --> 00:50:48,540
They'll soon release young falcons,

772
00:50:48,540 --> 00:50:50,773
that will in turn fly to Madagascar.

773
00:50:52,510 --> 00:50:56,030
They'll be the ones undertaking this incredible journey,

774
00:50:56,030 --> 00:50:59,113
carrying on the age-old Eleonora's falcon tradition.

775
00:51:06,372 --> 00:51:09,335
(falcon chirping)

776
00:51:09,335 --> 00:51:12,085
(dramatic music)