‘Earthflight’ Recap: ‘Africa’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the second episode of ‘Earthflight’.
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If there is one harsh reality about our world, that always seems to take us off guard when we are confronted with it, it would have to be the fact that life faces great and harrowing challenges in the wild. And this surprises us, simply because we have it easy in our world. So, to see animals doing whatever it takes to see another day, immediately opens our eyes and reminds us of the fragility of life and the difficulties that come with surviving on this beautiful but harsh world, that we all call home. Yet what’s truly fascinating about this lesson, is that is still tends to evoke familiar images in our minds, of places that are exotic, where animals that we expect to be fierce and wild compete with one another for food and water.
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But even birds, a species that we consider to be docile and simple deal with this kind of fight for survival as well, and for proof, well then look no further than last night’s episode of Earthflight. For a voyage to ‘Africa’ allowed for us to learn exactly what kinds of challenges birds face in this beautiful place and some fine examples of this, came about by way of the time we spent with the flamingos in this part of the world. For these beautifully feathered creatures live to feast off of algae in lakes, and well, getting the food they need is no easy task. Because sometimes the lake they flock to, simply isn’t rich in the algae they so crave, which means they can find themselves starving as they move from lake to lake to find the right food. And to complicate matters further, since they are a weaker bird, they tend to be seen as prey, making them easy targets when they settle in to rest and feed. 

Yet while it was fascinating to see how a bird as beautiful as the flamingo struggles in the wild on a consistent basis, to find a meal or escape being one, the show also made sure to show us how life can be equally as difficult for predator birds in this part of the world as well. Because vultures and eagles and the like, have to make use of patience and the sights before them in order to find food, since they tend to follow apex predators on the ground. All in the hopes of getting their beaks on what those predators leave behind when they’ve had their fill, and even then, that’s no easy task. For some of the predators on land don’t wish to relinquish their meals, forcing these birds to get creative. But while it isn’t always easy, usually other beasts of prey offer up some kind of assist, allowing for these birds to enjoy a grand feast.

Speaking of assists, that actually had to be the most surprising aspect of this particular tale. Specifically, the fact that so many birds on this continent use teamwork and synergy and the environment in order to survive. Because it was just fascinating to also see gannets work with dolphins to bring fish to the surface by way of dive bombs and patience and it was equally as incredible to see how birds from all over this continent use wind to help guide them in flight. For storks and eagles and every bird in between are all about using thermals to help propel them to new heights, giving them a chance to see a meal from afar, and these thermals also help them to reach new destinations. For birds use these blasts of air to also help them migrate. Something that will apparently become quite important come next week, since this episode had one last surprise in store for us… a cliffhanger. 

Which is a brilliant thing to find in a documentary, since most tales in this vein rarely find a way to tie these vignettes together. But the fact that so many birds from Africa, head north to Europe to breed, allows for the perfect segue to take place and truly, it leaves the audience excited to see what wonders await us when we arrive in Europe. But in the here and the now, this really was quite the powerful chapter in this tale about birds. Because it really did provide us with some unique insight on how difficult it is for feathered creatures to thrive in harsh environments. But as is often the case, life always figures out a way to survive, even when the odds are seemingly against it and that made for one incredible tale. One that definitely did a phenomenal job of educating its audience and well, now that we are done with the wonder of Africa, it should be fascinating to see what trials and tribulations await the birds leaving this continent, as they make their way to Europe. Until next time.  

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