Bird Migration

A close up portrait of a small, streaky, brown and white bird looking at the camera.
Migrating Birds Change Their Scenery—and Their Gut Bacteria
April 20, 2023 — A new study using birds killed in window collisions finds avian microbiomes, unlike those of mammals including humans, vary as they travel, changing with the surrounding environments.
A little brown and white thrush with its feathers fluffed up perches on a fallen tree in a forest holding a red berry in its beak.
Forest Fragments Act Like ‘Convenience Stores’ for Migrating Birds, Study Finds
March 31, 2023 — Using radar data, scientists identified the most popular stopover sites for migrants across the eastern United States. But these same strongholds are often overlooked in conservation strategies
A yellow bird in flight, blue sky in the background.
Migrating Male Birds Race Ahead to Keep Up with Spring’s Early Arrival
January 26, 2023 — New research finds females are lagging behind males as they try and keep up with earlier springs driven by climate change.
Bird Science
An illustration of a bird flying between brightly and dimly lit cities.
How to Make Your Outdoor Home Lighting Bird-Friendly
May 31, 2022 — Learn about shielding lights and other ways to make your outdoor lighting more bird-friendly.
Bird-friendly Buildings
A female Wilson’s Phalarope swims in a shallow wetland.
Funneling Phalaropes
May 13, 2022 — Follow the hemispheric migration of the Wilson’s Phalarope.
Yellow Warbler perched on a branch.
5 Birds that Migrate to the Rockies
April 29, 2022 — How to identify five common migratory birds in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah.
Bird Identificiation
A Western Meadowlark stands alert in a field of tall, green grass.
Where to Look for Birds During Spring Migration
April 25, 2022 — Learn about birds commonly seen in the spring in the Rockies and where to look for them.
Birding
Easy Ways to Help Migratory Birds
April 19, 2022 — Four simple steps you can take to help birds migrate safely.
How and Why Did Bird Migration Evolve?
April 19, 2022 — The drive for birds to migrate is at least partially genetic. How those genes developed—and how they function in modern birds—isn't fully known.
Welcome to the Dark Side: Your Guide to Nocturnal Migration Birding
April 04, 2022 — Here’s everything you need to join a growing DIY community where the action heats up when the sun goes down.
Birding Advice