Some Birds Fly Many Miles

[Sourabh Doherty]

Birdsthat nest in the Northern Hemisphere tend to migrate northward in the spring to take advantage of burgeoning insect populations, budding plants and an abundance of nesting locations. As winter approaches and the availability of insects and other food drops, the birds move south again. Escaping the cold is a motivating factor but many species, including hummingbirds, can withstand freezing temperatures as long as an adequate supply of food is available.

The mechanisms initiating migratory behavior vary and are not always completely understood. Migration can be triggered by a combination of changes in day length, lower temperatures, changes in food supplies, and genetic predisposition. For centuries, people who have kept cage birds have noticed that the migratory species go through a period of restlessness each spring and fall, repeatedly fluttering toward one side of their cage. German behavioral scientists gave this behavior the name zugunruhe, meaning migratory restlessness. Different species of birds and even segments of the population within the same species may follow different migratory patterns.

Accurate migration models also have broader applications, allowing researchers to understand behavioral aspects of migration, how migration timing and pathways respond to changing climate, and whether linkages exist between variation in migration timing and subsequent changes in population size.

Migrating birds can cover thousands of miles in their annual travels, often traveling the same course year after year with little deviation. First-year birds often make their very first migration on their own. Somehow they can find their winter home despite never having seen it before, and return the following spring to where they were born.

Scientists use several techniques in studying migration, including banding, satellite tracking, and a relatively new method involving lightweight devices known as geolocators. One of the goals is to locate important stopover and wintering locations. Once identified, steps can be taken to protect and save these key locations.

Each spring approximately 500,000 Sandhill Cranes and some endangered Whooping Cranes use the Central Platte River Valley in Nebraska as a staging habitat during their migration north to breeding and nesting grounds in Canada, Alaska, and the Siberian Arctic.

Peninsulas can also concentrate migrating birds as they follow the land and then pause before launching over water. This explains why places like Point Pelee, Ontario; the Florida Keys; Point Reyes, California; and Cape May, New Jersey have great reputations as migration hotspots.

Spring migration is an especially good time for those that feed birds in their backyard to attract species they normally do not see. Offering a variety of food sources, water, and adding natural food sources to the landscape can make a backyard attractive to migrating songbirds.

Whether it be in spring or fall, migration is a truly awe-inspiring phenomennon. In North America, most bird species migrate to some extent, with more than 350 species traveling between their summer ranges in the U.S. and the tropics each fall to overwinter. Here are just some of the many incredible facts about our migrants.

1. At least 4,000 species of bird are regular migrants, which is about 40 percent of the total number of birds in the world. (Although this number will likely increase as we learn more about the habits of birds in tropical regions.)

3. The Arctic tern has the longest migration of any bird in the world. These black-capped, red-billed birds can fly more than 49,700 miles in a year, making a round trip between their breeding grounds in the Arctic and the Antarctic, where they spend their winters. The lucky bird gets to see two summers a year! And over its lifespan of more than 30 years, the flights can add up to the equivalent of three trips to the moon and back.

4. Speaking of long distances, the northern wheatear travels up to 9,000 miles each way between the Arctic and Africa, giving it one of the largest ranges of any songbird. What makes this an amazing feat is that the tiny bird weighs less than an ounce, on average.

Pay close attention to your yard this spring for new bird species and entertainment all season long! As you watch birds return to your yard, or sometimes leave your yard to go even further north, read through these fun facts about bird migration. You might learn something new!

2. Migrating birds can travel VERY far

Birds in migration can travel as far as 16,000 miles. To reach their destination in time, some travel at speeds of 30mph. At this speed, birds take up to 533 hours to reach their final destination. Traveling 8 hours a day, it would take some birds 66 days to reach their migration destination. This means the birds have been traveling a long time by the time they get to your backyard! Make sure they are welcomed with fresh food and water when they arrive.

3. Some birds migrate at high altitudes

Not all birds travel low where we can see them. Songbirds travel at an altitude as high as 500 to 2,000 feet. Geese and vultures have been known to travel at altitudes of 29,000-37,000 feet high. Some scientists believe that birds travel at higher altitudes to conserve energy with less flapping of the wings and more gliding. They move up and down altitudes to gain boosts of natural lift from the changes in density.

5. Birds prepare for migration

To help birds prepare themselves for the long journey away from home for the winter, they build up body fat. They fuel up with certain foods and reserve up to 50% of their body weight. It is important to feed birds all year long, but especially when they return from migration and when they are preparing to leave for migration. They will be hungry!

6. Birds migrate at different times

Have you ever wondered what time birds migrate? When most of us are making our morning and afternoon commutes to and from work, migrating birds are feeding and resting. Many birds migrate during the night. They do this for a variety of reasons. At night, the air is cooler which eliminates the need to stop as much to cool down in water. Similarly, at night there are fewer predators and visibility of these predators is low. Birds are more safe traveling when their predators are resting. This is not the case for all birds, as you typically see geese and cranes migrate during the day.

7. Wisconsin is a popular migratory destination state

In May, a popular migration month, it is estimated that 3 million birds cross the Wisconsin state border daily as they migrate back to their Wisconsin homes. And this is on a light night! On heavy migration days, there can be as many as 30 million birds migrating into Wisconsin during the spring season. Do you live in Wisconsin or the Midwest? Try the Kaytee Midwest bird seed blend for your hungry backyard visitors.

8. Migrating birds face many threats during their journey

As mentioned earlier, birds migrate during certain times of the day to avoid potential threats. Their biggest threats on the long journey home in the spring include predators like owls or hawks, dehydration, starvation, oil drilling rigs in the ocean, windmills, power stations, and drastic climate changes. All of these hazards are instinctually taken into consideration, but birds are still not completely safe during their journey.

9. Neotropic birds are a type of migratory bird

Neotropic birds are birds migrating from neotropic areas in Central America and South America. Birds that are considered neotropic migrators include the Northern Oriole, the Baltimore Oriole, the Indigo Bunting, the Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, and the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird.

Make sure you provide them a comfortable and plentiful backyard with food, water, and coverage as they arrive back home for the spring, summer, and fall seasons. Check out these tips on our website for more information on how to attract backyard birds.

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Many people know that bird migration has been going on for ages (millions of years, in fact), and that it happens twice a year. But when you stop and ponder the details, migratory birds' epic journeys are nothing less than astonishing.

How do birds successfully migrate? Over time, they've mastered the mechanics of long-distance flight, developing a superb sense of direction and seemingly endless endurance. Supplied with these exceptional abilities, and gifted with light-weight frames and powerful wings, migratory birds perform eye-popping feats on a regular basis. We've collected five facts highlighting some of the fantastic achievements of these intrepid long-distance travelers.

2. Many migratory birds, but not all, fly at night, navigating in the dark. That's right, when you're in bed napping, their wings are flapping. Why? Colder air temperatures reduce the danger of overheating and allow birds to fly further without having to stop and cool down. Equally important, dark skies tend to hold fewer predators.

For birds, migrating at night is more risky than it used to be. Most notably, the steady-burning lights atop communication towers attract and disorient birds. Television, radio, and cell towers cause up to 7 million bird collisions each year in North America. Learn how you can help alleviate this threat.

3) Migratory birds can remember and return to the exact location where they were born. We know that they navigate using the sun, stars, and Earth's magnetic field. But exactly how they do this remains a mystery, partly because migrating birds use a combination of senses, including, in at least one species, smell.

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