Did you know that during the evening of Oct 8, 2024, 5,042,500 birds migrated overnight in Charleston County? To find out how many birds migrated over your house, please click here. You can type in your county and it will give you the nightly migration count. Interestingly enough, it varies from night to night.
Bird Migration: The Why, Where, When and How
Why do birds migrate?
Birds migrate to move from areas of low or decreasing resources to areas of high or increasing resources. The primary resources they are looking for are food and nesting locations. The factors that trigger migratory behavior vary and are not always thoroughly understood. Migration can be initated by a combination of things including changes in day length, lower temperatures, changes in food supplies, and also genetic predisposition. Different species of birds and even segments of the population within the same species may follow different migratory patterns.
Where and when do birds migrate?
Birds that nest in the Northern Hemisphere typically migrate northward in the spring to take advantage of the increasing availability of insects, budding plants and nesting locations. As winter approaches and the availability of insects and other food declines, the birds move south again. Escaping the cold is a motivating factor but many species can withstand freezing temperatures as long as an adequate food supply is available.
How do birds migrate?
Migrating birds can cover thousands of miles in their annual travels, often covering the same course year after year with little deviation. First-year birds often make their very first migration independently. Somehow they can find their winter home despite never having seen it before, and return the following spring to where they were born. Birds utlize information from the sun, the stars, and by sensing the earth’s magnetic field during their migration. They also get information from the position of the setting sun and from landmarks seen during the day. A sense of smell also plays a role, at least for homing pigeons.
(Source: Allaboutbirds.org)
Fall World Migratory Bird Day
October 12, 2024
Fall World Migratory Bird Day is October 12, 2024. World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is an annual awareness-raising campaign highlighting the need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. It has a global outreach and is an effective tool to help raise awareness of the threats faced by migratory birds, their ecological importance, and the need for international cooperation to conserve them.
Every year, people around the world participate and organize events such as bird festivals, education programs, exhibitions and bird-watching excursions to celebrate WMBD. All these activities can also take place at any time of the year because countries observe peak migrations at different times, However, the main days for the international celebrations are on the second Saturday in May and in October.
WMBD activities take place in many different countries and places across the globe united by a common campaign and theme. This year’s theme is “Protect Insects, Protect Birds”. Insects are essential sources of energy for many migratory bird species, not only during the breeding seasons but also during their extensive journeys and greatly affect the timing, duration, and overall success of bird migrations. Along their migration routes, birds actively seek out insects in fields, forests, wetlands, and various habitats during stopovers. The timing of bird migration often coincides with peak insect abundance at stopover locations, supplying nourishment for birds to replenish their energy reserves before continuing their journeys.
The loss and disturbance of insect populations at breeding sites and along avian migration routes threaten bird survival and well-being. Natural spaces like forests and grasslands that have been transformed or endangered by intensive agriculture and urban development and its effects such as light pollution can result in a decline in insect populations. Pesticides and herbicides designed to protect crops harm insects that birds rely on for food. A scarcity of energy- and protein-rich insects can hinder bird migration and breeding, leading to weakened immune systems, reduced reproductive success, and increased mortality rates for both adult birds and their offspring. Birds play crucial roles in pollination and pest control, and a lack of insects disrupts these ecosystem functions. Overpopulation of certain insects, without natural predators from birds, can also cause outbreaks that damage plant health and agriculture.
The WMBD campaign in 2024 stresses the need for proactive conservation measures. This includes reducing the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and where possible, switching to organic farming. Other measures include maintaining and connecting areas of natural vegetation which provide food and shelter for birds and other species, in agricultural landscapes. Please click here to learn more about WMBD.
(Source: Worldmigratorybirdday.org)
–Tidelines Editors
(Image credit: Birdcast.info, Worldmigratorybirdday.org)