Annual Spring Migration
As you read this, millions of birds are on the most hazardous journey of their lives as they migrate north to nest. Many have successfully arrived.
Long migrations are dangerous for birds, and it is estimated that about half of all migrating birds do not survive this annual journey. The hazards they face include bad weather, predators, exhaustion over water, window collisions, feral cats, and starvation due to the lack of suitable stopover habitat containing food and shelter they need along the way.
So why take the chance? Why would a bird that has all the necessities of life in the tropics subject itself to all of the dangers of flying north in the first place?
It all has to do with giving their nestlings the best odds for starting their lives.
It’s worth the journey to the northern hemisphere as it has much more land mass than the wintering grounds in the southern hemisphere. Millions of birds have more space in which to spread out and establish larger nesting territories that offer less competition for food and a better chance of avoiding detection by predators.
In addition, as the birds migrate north, the hours of sunlight per day grow longer. This advantage allows birds to make many more feeding trips to their young every day. The young grow faster, leave the nest earlier, thus shortening the dangerous nesting period.
So for mother birds, this dangerous migration has evolved into a risk worth repeating for the good of their young and their species as a whole.
You can keep migrating birds safe!
The number of window collisions increases drastically during migration. Sadly, most birds do not survive the impact, and any building, from high-rises to houses, can and often will be a hazard. Add into the mix bright and confusing lights at night (many birds migrate at night), and our feathered friends face an incredibly deadly challenge on their journey.
But you can help!
Take a look at what the migration forecast, BirdCast, has to show for our area, and remember to take precautions for your birds before migration really surges.
There are many solutions available to make your windows bird-safe, with removable decals being one of the most readily accessible and easily applied.
You can see some of what we have to offer in our online shop here.
Other solutions involve creating a "curtain" of paracord. You can learn how to make these yourself, or have them made for you, through Acopian Bird Savers
Lastly, turn down the lights. Indoor and outdoor lights can confuse birds and cause them to crash into your windows while they travel through the night. Closing curtains and blinds, and switching to motion-detecting spot or porch lights, will help prevent this from happening.
To learn more, visit the Fatal Light Awareness Program website.
And of course, always feel free to visit our store or give us a call with any questions you may have!