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IELTS Practice Listening: Note/Summary Completion ID: #57106 Easy Bird Migration
Instructions ›

Complete the notes below.

Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.

Transcript:

You will hear a talk about bird migration. Now listen carefully and answer the questions. Scientists believe that a majority of the Earth's bird population migrate in some fashion or other. Some travel seasonally for relatively short distances, such as birds that move from their winter habitats in lowlands to mountaintops for the summers. Others, like the Arctic tern, travel more than 25,000 miles seasonally between the northern and southern poles. Bird migration has been studied over many centuries through a variety of observations, but until relatively recently, where birds went to in the winter was considered something of a mystery. The lack of modern science and technology led to many theories that we now recognise as error-filled and even somewhat amusing. Take hibernation theory, for example. Two thousand years ago, it was commonly believed that when birds left an area, they went underwater to hibernate in the seas and oceans. Another theory for the regular appearance and disappearance of birds was that they spent winter hidden in mud till the weather changed and food became abundant again. The theory that some birds hibernate persisted until experiments were done on caged birds in the 1940s, which demonstrated that birds have no hibernation instinct. One of the earliest naturalists and philosophers from ancient Greece was Aristotle, who was the first writer to discuss the disappearance and reappearance of some bird species at certain times of year. He developed the theory of transmutation, the seasonal change of one species into another, by observing red starts and robins. He observed that in the autumn, small birds called redstarts began to lose their feathers, which convinced Aristotle that they changed into robins for the winter, and back into redstarts in the summer. These assumptions are understandable, given that this pair of species are similar in shape, but are a classic example of an incorrect interpretation based on correct observations. The most bizarre theory was put forward by an English amateur scientist, Charles Morton, in the 17th century. He wrote a surprisingly well-regarded paper, claiming that birds migrate to the moon and back every year. He came to this conclusion as the only logical explanation for the total disappearance of some species. One of the key moments in the development of migration theory came in 1822, when a white stork was shot in Germany. This particular stork made history because of the long spear in its neck, which, incredibly, had not killed it. Everyone immediately realised this spear was definitely not European. It turned out to be a spear from a tribe in Central Africa. This was a truly defining moment in the history of ornithology, because it was the first evidence that storks spend their winters in sub-Saharan Africa. You can still see the arrow stork in the zoological collection of the University of Rostock in Germany. People gradually became aware that European birds moved south in autumn and north in summer, but didn't know much about it until the practice of catching birds and putting rings on their legs became established. Before this, very little information was available about the actual destinations of particular species and how they travelled there. People speculated that larger birds provided a kind of taxi service for smaller birds by carrying them on their backs. This idea came about because it seemed impossible that small birds, weighing only a few grams, could fly over vast oceans. This idea was supported by observations of bird behaviour, such as the harassment of larger birds by smaller birds. The development of bird ringing by a Danish schoolteacher, Hans Christian Cornelius Mortensen, made many discoveries possible. This is still common practice today and relies upon what is known as recovery. This is when ringed birds are found dead in the place they have migrated to and identified. Huge amounts of data were gathered in the early part of the 20th century, and for the first time in history, people understood where birds actually went to in winter. In 1931, an atlas was published showing where the most common species of European birds migrated to. More recent theories about bird migration vary...
10 blanks 1 word max

Bird Migration Theory

Most birds are believed to migrate seasonally.

Hibernation theory

  • It was believed that birds hibernated underwater or buried themselves in .
  • This theory was later disproved by experiments on caged birds.

Transmutation theory

  • Aristotle believed birds changed from one species into another in summer and winter.

– In autumn he observed that redstarts experience the loss of  and thought they then turned into robins.

– Aristotle’s assumptions were logical because the two species of birds had a similar .

17th century

  • Charles Morton popularised the idea that birds fly to the  in winter.

Scientific developments

  • In 1822, a stork was killed in Germany which had an African spear in its .

– previously there had been no  that storks migrate to Africa.

  • Little was known about the  and journeys of migrating birds until the practice of ringing was established.

– It was thought large birds carried small birds on some journeys because they were considered incapable of travelling across huge .

– Ringing depended on what is called the  of dead birds.

  • In 1931, the first  to show the migration of European birds was printed.
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.

Question Focus: Listening for a specific noun describing where birds were believed to hide

Correct Answer: mud

Why this is correct: The speaker explains an old belief that birds did not migrate but instead hid themselves. You hear clearly that they were believed to be hidden in mud during winter.

Passage Reference: Another theory for the regular appearance and disappearance of birds was that they spent winter hidden in mud till the weather changed and food became abundant again.

Common Mistake: Students may write water because the speaker also mentions birds going underwater, but that refers to a different part of the theory. This is a context shift trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'hidden in mud' = Notes: 'buried themselves in ___'

Tips: Listen carefully when the speaker gives examples of theories and note each separate idea.

Key Vocabulary:

  • hidden = not visible
  • buried = covered under

Question Focus: Identifying what redstarts lost in autumn

Correct Answer: feathers

Passage Reference: He observed that in the autumn, small birds called redstarts began to lose their feathers, which convinced Aristotle that they changed into robins for the winter

Why this is correct: The speaker says Aristotle noticed redstarts lose their feathers in autumn. This observation led him to believe they changed into robins.

Common Mistake: Some students write wings or plumage, but these words are not used by the speaker. You must copy the exact word. This is a synonym trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'lose their feathers' = Notes: 'experience the loss of ___'

Tips: When you hear cause and effect, note exactly what caused the belief.

Key Vocabulary:

  • observe = watch carefully
  • loss = something disappearing

Question Focus: Reason Aristotle's idea seemed logical

Correct Answer: shape

Passage Reference: These assumptions are understandable, given that this pair of species are similar in shape, but are a classic example of an incorrect interpretation based on correct observations.

Why this is correct: The speaker explains Aristotle's mistake was understandable because the two birds were similar in shape.

Common Mistake: Students may choose size because it sounds logical, but the speaker never says this. This is a paraphrase trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'similar in shape' = Notes: 'had a similar ___'

Tips: Adjectives like 'similar' are strong grammar clues for the type of word you need.

Key Vocabulary:

  • assumption = belief
  • similar = almost the same

Question Focus: Identifying an unusual migration theory

Correct Answer: moon

Passage Reference: He wrote a surprisingly well-regarded paper, claiming that birds migrate to the moon and back every year.

Why this is correct: The speaker says Charles Morton believed birds migrated to the moon each year.

Common Mistake: Some students hesitate because the idea sounds ridiculous, but IELTS often includes surprising facts. Ignoring it is a distractor trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'migrate to the moon' = Notes: 'fly to the ___ in winter'

Tips: Do not reject an answer just because it sounds strange.

Key Vocabulary:

  • bizarre = very strange
  • theory = idea

Question Focus: Location of the spear in the stork

Correct Answer: neck

Passage Reference: This particular stork made history because of the long spear in its neck, which, incredibly, had not killed it.

Why this is correct: The speaker clearly states the stork had a spear in its neck.

Common Mistake: Students may write body or head, but those are not said. This is a paraphrase trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'spear in its neck' = Notes: 'spear in its ___'

Tips: For body parts, listen carefully and do not generalise.

Key Vocabulary:

  • spear = weapon
  • incredibly = surprisingly

Question Focus: Understanding what was missing before 1822

Correct Answer: evidence

Passage Reference: This was a truly defining moment in the history of ornithology, because it was the first evidence that storks spend their winters in sub-Saharan Africa.

Why this is correct: The speaker says this event was the first evidence that storks winter in Africa.

Common Mistake: Students may write proof, which has a similar meaning but is not the spoken word. This is a synonym trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'first evidence' = Notes: 'there had been no ___'

Tips: Always copy the exact word you hear, even if a synonym seems easier.

Key Vocabulary:

  • defining moment = very important event
  • evidence = proof

Question Focus: What people did not know about migration

Correct Answer: destinations

Why this is correct: The speaker explains that people did not know the destinations of migrating birds.

Common Mistake: Some students write routes, but that refers to the journey, not the end point. This is a partial truth trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'actual destinations' = Notes: 'Little was known about the ___'

Tips: Notice paired ideas like 'destinations and journeys'.

Key Vocabulary:

  • destination = end place
  • species = type of bird

Question Focus: Why small birds were thought incapable of flying

Correct Answer: oceans

Passage Reference: This idea came about because it seemed impossible that small birds, weighing only a few grams, could fly over vast oceans.

Why this is correct: The speaker says people thought small birds could not cross vast oceans.

Common Mistake: Students may write seas, but that word is not used here. This is a synonym trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'vast oceans' = Notes: 'huge ___'

Tips: Size adjectives often help you predict the noun form.

Key Vocabulary:

  • vast = very large
  • incapable = unable

Question Focus: Key term in bird ringing practice

Correct Answer: recovery

Passage Reference: This is still common practice today and relies upon what is known as recovery. This is when ringed birds are found dead in the place they have migrated to and identified.

Why this is correct: The speaker explains that ringing relies on what is known as recovery.

Common Mistake: Students may write finding, which describes the idea but not the technical term. This is a paraphrase trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'known as recovery' = Notes: 'called the ___'

Tips: Technical terms are often signposted with phrases like 'known as'.

Key Vocabulary:

  • recovery = finding again
  • ringed = marked with a ring

Question Focus: Identifying a published reference work

Correct Answer: atlas

Why this is correct: The speaker states that an atlas showing bird migration was published in 1931.

Common Mistake: Some students write map, but the speaker uses the more specific word. This is a synonym trap.

Paraphrasing: Transcript: 'an atlas was published' = Notes: 'the first ___ to show'

Tips: Listen carefully for publication words like 'atlas', 'report', or 'study'.

Key Vocabulary:

  • atlas = book of maps
  • migrate = move seasonally

General Tips:

  • FIB answers follow the order of the recording. Use the previous answer to predict when the next one is coming.
  • Always respect the word limit. One extra word makes the answer wrong.
  • Copy the exact word you hear. Synonyms are usually not accepted.
  • Use grammar clues like articles, adjectives, and prepositions to predict the word type.
  • Listen for signpost phrases like 'for example', 'this is when', or 'known as'.

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