According to experts, some 4 billion birds will migrate from Canada into the U.S. while billions of others will leave the U.S. and head towards Central and South America.
The annual ritual of billions of birds migrating across the nation in the spring and fall to find a sustainable ecosystem to survive the coming months is currently in progress as the U S. heads towards autumn.
According to experts BirdCast, which is powered by Colorado State University and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in New York, more than 300 million birds took flight on Saturday for their annual migration to more southern climates.
Experts say that as we approach the winter equinox, birds are moving toward regions that will offer them more food and daylight hours.
The yearly migration in North America is thought to reach its peak in September and October, but it starts in August and continues until November.
“Weve discovered that each autumn, an average of 4 billion birds move south from Canada into the U.S. At the same time, another 4.7 billion birds leave the U.S. over the southern border, heading to the tropics,” Adriaan Dokter, a researcher at the Cornell Lab stated during an extensive study. “In the spring, 3.5 billion birds cross back into the U.S. from points south, and 2.6 billion birds return to Canada across the northern U.S. border.”
A few of the more well-known animals that participate in the yearly custom are cranes, hummingbirds, doves, and Canadian geese.
Depending on the needs of their specific ecosystem, some birds are believed to be able to fly only a few hundred miles, while others are thought to be able to fly across entire continents.
The precise timing varies each year, but according to the National Wildlife Federation, some birds will start their return in February, while others may wait to as late as May.
Not every migration goes as planned, and unforeseen events like hurricanes or even lit buildings can cause their flights to divert and have fatal results.
Owing to the exposure of birds to human influences, the experts behind BirdCast have recommended that everyone take part in the “Lights Out” movement. “.
According to the group, light pollution causes birds to become disoriented, which results in many of the more than 300 million birds that perish in building collisions every year.
The first “Lights Out” program in the United States started in 1999 in the Windy City and has expanded to dozens of other communities in the decades since.
Light pollution can be reduced by simply dimming or turning off non-essential lightning during the critical migration periods, which run from 11 PM to 6 AM.
Buildings from the Midwest to the Gulf Coast participate in the effort, including the iconic Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri.
Because the 630-foot-tall monument is located directly beneath what is regarded as a major migration highway, non-essential night lights are turned off for several weeks in May and September.
October is when the exterior lights of the arch are anticipated to be turned back on.
Enjoy Migration With These Free Resources
Use these resources, along with our webinars and events, to stay up to date on migration in your local community. Here are some tools we think you’ll find useful for scheduling when to go birdwatching, knowing what you’re seeing, and keeping kids fascinated. This is the peak of fall migration for many species right now, so don’t miss it!
Discover Migrating Birds Near You
- Merlin Bird ID: You can use our free app to identify birds, find out which birds are expected in your area today, and even recognize their calls. Here are some more tips for making the most of Merlin.
- BirdCast: Billions of birds migrate to the tropics every fall, and our BirdCast project can tell you when periods of intense migration are expected to pass through your area. Watch our recorded webinar with BirdCast project staff to learn how it all works, and then check out the real-time reports and migration forecasts provided by BirdCast! The new Migration Dashboard lets you drill down to local migration patterns!
- eBird Status and Trends: Based on bird observations from hundreds of thousands of eBird users, the maps show the global distribution of bird species and their movements. To find out when particular bird species migrate through your area, use these maps.
FAQ
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