The third thread, birdsong, is transcribed into several of the eleven movements of the score. The specific birdsong used originates in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Singapore. Messiaen's sole visit to Australia was during that country's bicentennial celebrations in 1988, during the period he was writing "Éclairs". Although earlier works (for example, "Saint Francis of Assisi") had included Australian birdsong, "Éclairs sur l’Au-Delà …" is Messiaen's only work to use the sounds of Australian birds he notated in the wild. Messiaen's modes of limited transposition, another of his favorite techniques, are also used. The movements are: