T he wonder that migration as a phenomenon raises in the human mind makes us forget the risks and perils of such an enterprise. The trip is long and the Mediterranean Sea, together with the Sahara Desert, are two unavoidable parts of the route that provide neither food nor rest. Losses are vast in each migrating period, accounted to natural causes, e.g. exhaustion or unforeseen events, such as bad weather conditions or disorientation. However, these losses are still less than those they would suffer spending the winter in Europe, and they can be counterbalanced by a successful breeding period. Y. Roussopoulos In April, fields like this in Leros, explode with wild flowers.
Insects are equally abundant and provide much needed food for migrating songbirds.
B y contrast, the large-scale habitat modifications of recent years, have had a disastrous effect on bird populations since the birds have not developed adaptive mechanisms against them. For example, the destruction of the savannahs south of the Sahara, has caused expansion of the desert further south. Birds face great difficulties and suffer immense extra losses, as the migration trip is getting longer year after year. T he Aegean islands serve as a transit station for millions of migrating birds. After landing here, they are in dire need of a safe place to rest and, if possible, feed.