0:00:08 > 0:00:12It's a universal dream to fly like a bird.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15To soar on wings into the heavens.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20But it's nothing compared to the reality.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25This is our planet seen as never before.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30A bird's-eye view.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36Theirs is a journey that covers the world.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Filled with astonishing natural events...
0:00:43 > 0:00:46..extreme challenges...
0:00:48 > 0:00:50..and hard-won rewards.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54This is the world on the wing.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13Our story begins on the southern tip of Africa.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17A bird's-eye view of Cape Town's Table Mountain
0:01:17 > 0:01:21gives no hint of what's stirring in the seas far offshore.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27Beneath the waves a great gathering is occurring.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Its innermost secrets are known by a bird.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40The Cape gannet.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44An intelligent and curious creature that works as part of a team.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50Small groups spread out across the ocean looking for clues
0:01:50 > 0:01:52that might lead them to the great event.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09They keep their eye on humpback whales as they seek the same reward.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25But dolphins make even better allies.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37The two creatures work together.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40The gannets are the dolphins' eyes in the sky.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02From their high vantage point,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05the gannets can see what the dolphins can't.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09One finally spots what they're looking for.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14He dives - a signal to all his followers
0:03:14 > 0:03:16that they've finally arrived.
0:03:34 > 0:03:3820 metres down, they reach their target.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40The Great Sardine Run,
0:03:40 > 0:03:43the biggest fish migration in the world.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52But at this depth the sardines are quite a challenge.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54He comes up with nothing.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00But guiding the dolphins here is about to pay off.
0:04:06 > 0:04:07They attack from below,
0:04:07 > 0:04:11breaking up the shoals and driving them to the surface.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Now the sardines are much easier to catch.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35But the commotion also attracts bronze whaler sharks.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45At every dive, the birds now dice with death.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52And some hunters could swallow a dozen gannets in just one gulp.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04Fortunately, Bryde's whales are only here for the sardines.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26The victors return to Bird Island,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29the biggest Cape gannet colony in the world.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35It's their extraordinary knowledge of ocean life
0:05:35 > 0:05:38that allows 65,000 pairs to thrive here.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56Back on the mainland, vultures have an unrivalled knowledge
0:05:56 > 0:05:58of the creatures that live on the land.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03These canny scavengers
0:06:03 > 0:06:06soar for hours, studying the movements of animals.
0:06:15 > 0:06:20Their all-seeing eyes watch for clues that might lead them to a meal.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Running animals are a good sign.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39But lions are even better.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52But in the high-stakes world of the African bush,
0:06:52 > 0:06:55the watched also do the watching.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59There is an uneasy alliance between vultures and lions
0:06:59 > 0:07:03as both spy on one another to find fresh meat.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13This time there's nothing, but she will keep looking.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24Her bird's-eye view reveals many secrets.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49This S-shaped island is actually alive.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08It is made up entirely of lesser flamingos.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22Flamingos may be the most beautiful and graceful birds in Africa,
0:08:22 > 0:08:26but they spend their lives in the most unsavoury places.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30They wade in toxic soda lakes.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33The only lagoons where the algae they eat is found.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44They filter it from the caustic water with their bills.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54It not only keeps them alive,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57pigments in the algae create their flamboyant colour.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06As the amount of algae varies with the seasons,
0:09:06 > 0:09:10the flamingos are on a continual quest for the perfect lake.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12But wherever they go,
0:09:12 > 0:09:15these delicate birds fall prey to hunters of every kind.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Fish eagles are their main enemy.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28These clever and solitary predators
0:09:28 > 0:09:32are found over every body of water south of the Sahara.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40They eat mainly fish, but here flamingos are easier prey.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58Fish eagles have become expert at hunting them.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17The fish eagle is small and highly manoeuvrable.
0:10:17 > 0:10:18But it still won't be easy.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53This battle plays out wherever flamingos roam.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59For now, the lake's algal bloom gives them all they could wish for.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02But all good things must end.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Soon they will be gone.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17Vultures never get the chance to stop travelling.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26Her broad wings ride the air for hours
0:11:26 > 0:11:28as she searches for the dead or done for.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37Every feather reacts to the tiniest breath of air,
0:11:37 > 0:11:39adjusting its angle to perfect her flight.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47She splays her wing-tip feathers to reduce drag.
0:11:52 > 0:11:54And uses her tail to steer.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Her efficient flight is helped by a weather phenomenon
0:12:05 > 0:12:07often found in these hot climes.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11Dust devils form when the sun bakes the ground
0:12:11 > 0:12:14and hot air rises in a thermal, sucking up dirt.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Thermals are usually invisible,
0:12:18 > 0:12:20but vultures know just where to find them.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26She uses them as express elevators to the sky.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36Just as she watches other vultures, they watch her too.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Sharing their knowledge of where thermals can be found.
0:12:42 > 0:12:47When she finds lift, others rush to join her on her free ride.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Gliding from thermal to thermal,
0:13:05 > 0:13:09she surveys hundreds of square miles with hardly any effort at all.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18A descending spiral of other birds
0:13:18 > 0:13:21marks the spot where a carcass might be found.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27She folds her wings to lose height and uses her legs as air brakes.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36Feathers along her wings spring up to slow her even more.
0:13:46 > 0:13:48With two and a half metres of wing to deal with,
0:13:48 > 0:13:50landing among trees is a challenge.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05Once down, the hard bit is finding the carcass.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10But backup is never far behind.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17The spiralling vultures have also attracted the lions.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19Things could easily turn nasty.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26Especially as something doesn't seem right.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29Swallows and carmine bee-eaters are here,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32not the usual suspects at a murder scene.
0:14:39 > 0:14:44Marabou storks, the undertaker birds, are more like it.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48But these wily scavengers are not here for a carcass.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52They're eating termites.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56The vultures and lions have messed up, big-time.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03It was an easy mistake to make.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07A gathering of birds always means food.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11They weren't to know that for them it wouldn't even be a snack
0:15:14 > 0:15:19Only the smaller hooded vulture has the right tool for the job.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21Much to the lion's frustration.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49When messing with lions, the stakes are high.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54Unfortunately, it's an occupational hazard.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Cape Point, at the southern tip of Africa,
0:16:04 > 0:16:08is home to another bird that mixes with dangerous predators.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Kelp gulls may not have the charisma of a vulture,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18but they certainly know their wildlife.
0:16:21 > 0:16:26The aptly-named Seal Island is home to 10,000 Cape fur seals.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29The perfect meal, if only the gulls were hunters.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34But by studying the seal's behaviour,
0:16:34 > 0:16:38these inoffensive birds have put seal meat at the top of their menu.
0:16:45 > 0:16:46They pick out the youngest
0:16:46 > 0:16:49and wait for them to brave the open waters of the bay.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02Then they look for someone to prepare their meal.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07A great white shark will do nicely!
0:17:37 > 0:17:39To be first at the kill means a feast.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42But the shark has to catch dinner first.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15The commotion is a signal to other gulls.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28In the killing season,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31over 30 attacks happen around Seal Island each day.
0:18:31 > 0:18:36The gulls have become experts on the great white's killing technique.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21Back on the South African mainland,
0:19:21 > 0:19:25a very different wildlife spectacle occurs every evening.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28These are barn swallows.
0:19:28 > 0:19:29Three million of them.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45They roost in these reed beds before travelling 6,000 miles
0:19:45 > 0:19:48to their spring breeding grounds in northern Europe.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53They are well equipped for their migration.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55Few can beat their aerobatic skills.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58They even drink without missing a beat.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Their streamlined body and long, pointed wings
0:20:16 > 0:20:19allow them to effortlessly manoeuvre,
0:20:19 > 0:20:22and their forked tail helps their sublime control.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34Taking a bath couldn't be easier.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Their flying abilities will soon be tested
0:20:49 > 0:20:53as they embark on one of the riskiest and most epic journeys on earth.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55But they will not be alone.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05In the skies above, thousands of white storks join them
0:21:05 > 0:21:09in a race against time to reach their European breeding grounds.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16But while swallows flap their wings all the way,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19white storks glide on thermals.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26On a good day, the storks can travel 300 miles
0:21:26 > 0:21:28with hardly any effort at all.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36But flying isn't always such a breeze.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40They can only travel when the sun shines.
0:21:44 > 0:21:49Victoria Falls is a major landmark on their journey.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52900 miles from where they first set off.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59As the Zambezi river plummets into the chasm below,
0:21:59 > 0:22:01it creates huge updraughts
0:22:01 > 0:22:04that make the falls a paradise for soaring birds.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11It's the perfect place for a fish eagle to set up home.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21It might be wet and wild, but these are the conditions eagles relish.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30He patrols the mile-long canyon,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33surfing on air pushed up by the falling water.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40Birds understand and feel the air currents
0:22:40 > 0:22:42in ways that are difficult to imagine.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50As well as detecting thermals,
0:22:50 > 0:22:55they see their landscape in terms of how it shapes and deflects the air.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04This knowledge allows them to glide with little effort,
0:23:04 > 0:23:06allowing them to concentrate on what really matters.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07Finding a meal.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Swooping from the air provides the best element of surprise.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48600 miles north of Victoria Falls,
0:23:48 > 0:23:52the thermals that support storks in the air simply vanish.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03Below lies the problem.
0:24:03 > 0:24:04Lake Malawi.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07The first of many lakes in East Africa's Great Rift Valley.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15Thermals can't form over water,
0:24:15 > 0:24:18so the storks have to work hard just to stay airborne.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22And these soaring birds aren't designed
0:24:22 > 0:24:24to flap their wings for long.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42But a promising apparition suddenly appears.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47Dust devils seem to be rising from the lake.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56But these aren't thermals.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59In fact, they're made entirely of flies.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Each month, billions of lake flies swirl together
0:25:07 > 0:25:09in a huge mating dance,
0:25:09 > 0:25:11creating the biggest swarms on Earth.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20Storks must head inland to find the real McCoy.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25But flapping flight takes its toll.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29Tired storks must make frequent stops to rest and feed.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Tornadoes of flies may be useless for storks,
0:25:34 > 0:25:38but they are a godsend for the swallows travelling close behind.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44Like the storks, they have already flown over 1,000 miles at this point.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46They too are ravenous.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49They head into the very heart of the swarm.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Swallows put on little weight before their journey,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02so must feed at every opportunity.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10Windfalls like this make the difference between life and death.
0:26:17 > 0:26:19Refuelled, they continue their travels.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27Further north, along the Rift Valley,
0:26:27 > 0:26:30the land opens up into a huge expanse of grassland.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Here, vultures command the skies,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41soaring up to five miles above the Earth.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46From these heights, they can drop down at any time to check out a meal.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06Her favourite scavenging grounds are the Serengeti plains.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10Home to the largest land migration in the world.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Below, around one and a half million wildebeest
0:27:17 > 0:27:19perform their yearly journey.
0:27:37 > 0:27:41Vultures escort the herd, and are an expert on their habits,
0:27:41 > 0:27:44especially as they might bring a meal.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49They know the torrential waters of the Mara river
0:27:49 > 0:27:51are an accident waiting to happen.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Thousands of wildebeest must negotiate its dangerous waters
0:28:02 > 0:28:04and casualties are inevitable.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25The crocs have waited a year for this moment.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28They won't waste their chance.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47It's carnage.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49But there won't be much left for the vultures.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57But as the wildebeest reach the other side,
0:28:57 > 0:29:00a four-metre wall blocks their path.
0:29:00 > 0:29:02It's a death trap.
0:29:12 > 0:29:13All it takes is just one slip.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32And there it is.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34The perfect meal, ripe for the taking.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46Now the arguing begins.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58The marabou stork is back.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01He uses his bill to dismember carcasses.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04But he's quite happy to use it as a spear.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11Vultures never get to eat in peace.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14That's why they always keep moving.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25Flamingos are also driven by the quest for food.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30In desperate times, many travel up from southern Africa
0:30:30 > 0:30:34to join East African flamingos as they seek the perfect soda lake.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Just south of the equator is Lake Nakuru,
0:30:41 > 0:30:44the most famous flamingo lake in the world.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35The lake is a favourite stopover for flamingos
0:31:35 > 0:31:37and thousands can arrive in a single day.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47But despite its past glory, it's now a bitter disappointment.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54A change in water quality means little algae grows here now.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00There are other signs of change.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06Great white pelicans arrive, attracted to the salt-tolerant fish
0:32:06 > 0:32:09that have been introduced by local fishermen to the lake.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14They cruise over the water surface,
0:32:14 > 0:32:17riding a cushion of air created by the down thrust of their wings.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45The recent appearance of pelicans shows that the lake is changing.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47The flamingos face other problems, too.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54Here, scavengers have turned hunters.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58The delicate flamingos make easy prey for the hyenas.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13They need space for takeoff.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17It's not good to be at the back of the queue.
0:33:17 > 0:33:22And to make things worse, many have been weakened by a lack of food.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26The hyenas' technique is crude but effective.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28Just charge and grab the slowest.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30Lake Nakuru has become a dangerous place with few attractions.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34Hungry and out of condition,
0:34:34 > 0:34:36the flamingos must try their luck elsewhere.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46Above, the storks continue their migration.
0:34:46 > 0:34:50They carry few reserves and need to make frequent stops to feed.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54Here, the open plains are their best chance
0:34:54 > 0:34:56of catching the insect life they need.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15But stopovers bring their own hazards.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18A hungry lion will hunt anything.
0:35:36 > 0:35:41Fortunately for the storks, the lions have set their sights on bigger prey.
0:36:03 > 0:36:09On his 6,000-mile safari, the stork must be ready for anything.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15Some birds can't get enough of hunting lions.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16One vulture has hit the jackpot.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19The lionesses have killed.
0:37:23 > 0:37:24And so too has the male.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33She makes her choice.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44Finding the carcass is easy.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46Getting it from the owner won't be.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54Some sneaky tactics are required.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00Tiptoeing around the back could be the answer.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18Hungry lions may be big, but they aren't stupid.
0:38:23 > 0:38:26Dealing with the vulture would be like swatting a gnat.
0:38:26 > 0:38:27Hardly worth the effort.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38But reinforcements arrive, swelling the ranks.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55They include the more burly lappet-faced vultures.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01She has attracted strong support
0:39:01 > 0:39:04but she must be careful.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08Her masterplan is simple, but dangerous.
0:39:08 > 0:39:09Tease the lion to distraction.
0:39:15 > 0:39:20Lions get hot and bothered keeping vultures from their kill.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22And that's exactly what they want.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30The vulture plays dare, goading the lion.
0:39:58 > 0:40:01In the hot sun, it is a war of attrition.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18Their cunning plan has worked.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20The lion heads for shade.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25Vultures rush in where others fear to tread.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30Now it's everyone for themselves.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36Then the neighbours from hell arrive.
0:40:59 > 0:41:04Somewhere in the mayhem, everyone eventually gets something.
0:41:27 > 0:41:28High in the skies above,
0:41:28 > 0:41:31the flamingos continue their quest for the perfect lake.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41Just past the equator, in central Kenya,
0:41:41 > 0:41:43they finally find it.
0:41:47 > 0:41:48Lake Bogoria.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54Here, flamingos gather in their millions,
0:41:54 > 0:41:57the greatest concentration on Earth.
0:42:52 > 0:42:57Breathtaking gatherings like these happen just once in 20 years.
0:43:05 > 0:43:11Their bodies become a pink blanket, veiling the shallows of the lake.
0:43:40 > 0:43:43For the new arrivals, the lake lives up to its promise.
0:43:46 > 0:43:49It's brimming with all the algae they can eat.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56At Lake Bogoria, they can stop for a while
0:43:56 > 0:43:58and feed to their heart's content.
0:44:02 > 0:44:04They have reached their Shangri-la.
0:44:09 > 0:44:11But there's trouble in paradise.
0:44:23 > 0:44:25Here, baboons have turned killers.
0:44:57 > 0:45:01And it's not only baboons that hunt in the lake.
0:45:04 > 0:45:09Fish eagles always know what's going on and want a piece of the action.
0:45:19 > 0:45:24They know that baboons hunt in packs and usually there are leftovers.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38Staying airborne puts him in pole position.
0:45:42 > 0:45:45With baboons attacking from every direction...
0:45:46 > 0:45:48..the flamingos have little chance.
0:46:02 > 0:46:06The pent-up aggression causes fights to break out.
0:46:10 > 0:46:12Exactly what the eagle was hoping for.
0:46:20 > 0:46:24Although he's a hunter, he's never too proud to scavenge.
0:46:26 > 0:46:29But two can play at the thieving game.
0:46:30 > 0:46:34A steppe eagle drops in, at 150mph.
0:46:43 > 0:46:48He sends it packing, but many more are waiting in the wings.
0:47:08 > 0:47:13Fish eagles are plucky birds, and don't give up their food easily.
0:47:13 > 0:47:16But, in the end, it's a numbers game.
0:47:19 > 0:47:24Beaten by overwhelming force, the fish eagle has barely had a mouthful.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30Vultures are used to competing for their meals.
0:47:30 > 0:47:33For a scavenger, it comes with the territory.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40But there is one place that usually gives enough to go round.
0:47:45 > 0:47:46The Grumeti river.
0:48:07 > 0:48:12All they have to do is wait for the conveyor belt of food to arrive.
0:48:19 > 0:48:22This river is a favourite drinking spot in the wildebeest migration.
0:48:22 > 0:48:25But it is also one of the most dangerous.
0:48:48 > 0:48:52The vulture waits as the crocodiles demonstrate their lethal skills.
0:50:03 > 0:50:07By the end of the killing spree, the crocs are full
0:50:07 > 0:50:09and there are carcasses to spare.
0:50:18 > 0:50:23But where there are big crocodiles, there are also little ones.
0:50:26 > 0:50:29And they have to practise somewhere.
0:50:43 > 0:50:47Even at this hallowed spot, there's no rest for the wicked.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50A vulture's life is a never-ending journey to find food.
0:50:55 > 0:50:59Among the hot springs and geysers of Lake Bogoria,
0:50:59 > 0:51:02the flamingos have finally found peace.
0:51:09 > 0:51:11But they must be on their guard.
0:51:18 > 0:51:20The fish eagle is still hungry.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08He looks for any breaks in the ranks.
0:52:08 > 0:52:10He can't afford to fail this time.
0:52:48 > 0:52:49Success at last.
0:53:06 > 0:53:10As ever, the marabou stork never misses a thing.
0:53:12 > 0:53:15He could spear the eagle with just one jab.
0:53:22 > 0:53:24It's David versus Goliath.
0:53:36 > 0:53:40Like all bullies, the marabou crumbles when challenged,
0:53:40 > 0:53:42pecking the dirt in frustration.
0:53:53 > 0:53:57At last, the fish eagle enjoys the sweet taste of success.
0:54:01 > 0:54:04The flamingos may have lost one of their number,
0:54:04 > 0:54:08but it's a small price to pay for staying in a pink paradise.
0:54:11 > 0:54:14With two million together in peak condition,
0:54:14 > 0:54:16they can take time out for dancing.
0:54:22 > 0:54:27True love blossoms as they mirror each other's actions perfectly
0:54:27 > 0:54:31and lifelong relationships are formed.
0:54:38 > 0:54:40Soon hundreds join the parade.
0:55:04 > 0:55:08Their synchronised dance is one of the most beautiful in the bird world.
0:55:13 > 0:55:17It happens when the birds are fit and truly happy.
0:55:17 > 0:55:21A prelude to breeding that occurs only in special years.
0:56:09 > 0:56:13For the flamingo, it's a fitting end to her journey.
0:56:15 > 0:56:17But the swallows have a long way to go.
0:56:18 > 0:56:23They have travelled 3,000 miles from South Africa to reach here,
0:56:23 > 0:56:26but they are still only halfway home.
0:56:26 > 0:56:30A hatch of midges will help power their journey onwards.
0:56:30 > 0:56:33It's a vital meal. The swallows still have to cross the Sahara.
0:56:33 > 0:56:38An area as big as the United States.
0:56:41 > 0:56:45The white storks choose a safer but longer route,
0:56:45 > 0:56:48one that avoids the Sahara altogether.
0:56:50 > 0:56:55They follow the life-giving waters of the Nile.
0:56:58 > 0:57:03The swallows rely on oases. Without them, they could never survive.
0:57:18 > 0:57:22Meanwhile, common cranes have joined the migration
0:57:22 > 0:57:25and are heading out of Africa towards Europe.
0:57:31 > 0:57:35It's a route that takes them over the Mediterranean Sea.
0:57:41 > 0:57:44The storks try to avoid the sea altogether.
0:57:44 > 0:57:46But things don't always go to plan.
0:57:50 > 0:57:53Thermals can't form over water,
0:57:53 > 0:57:55so the storks are heading for disaster.
0:58:06 > 0:58:10If a wing tip touches the water, they will fall in and drown.
0:58:13 > 0:58:16Next time, we will follow the storks' fate,
0:58:16 > 0:58:18as they try to reach their breeding grounds.
0:58:21 > 0:58:22On the wings of birds,
0:58:22 > 0:58:26we will discover the human and natural world of Europe
0:58:26 > 0:58:28as it has never been seen before.
0:58:52 > 0:58:57Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd