Explore ridiculous ancient theories of bird migration and discover how scientists finally solved one of the field's oldest mysteries.



In 1822, Count von Bothmer shot down a stork in Germany. However, the bird had already been impaled by a yardlong wooden spear. The stork had been speared in Africa and then flew over 2,500 km. This astonishing flight proved to be an essential clue in a mystery that had plagued scientists for centuries: the seasonal disappearance of birds. Lucy Cooke digs into the discovery of bird migration.

Lesson by Lucy Cooke, directed by Visorama.

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