Our friendly spring birds have prepared their nests, raised their young and pushed them out of the nest. As the cooler air comes in, the birds are ready to move on. Although they certainly deserve a vacation after raising all of those babies, they are really following the light and food that is abundant even in January a little further south. However, like I said in my last post, migration isn't all sun and fun for these wonderful birds. Dangers and distractions lurk all along the way.
Where's my MacDonalds?
What would distract the very best of us more than a cheeseburger and order of fries when we are really hungry? Migrating birds must eat a lot to keep up the energy it takes to migrate. Often they use familiar stopover places or rest areas to meet this need. However, habitat and food sources for these birds are being destroyed at an alarming rate each day. Imagine your yearly vacation trip being made with absolutely no places to stop and get a snack along the way. I am sure you and I would pack plenty of extra, but birds travel luggage-free. Some birds never make it to warmer places because they die of starvation.
Hunter or Hunted?
Migrating birds are constantly on the run. Hunters of all sorts are after these birds. Animal predators, like birds of prey or even cats and dogs find a tired bird to be an easy meal. Human predators, who don't realize they are hunting illegally or just don't care are a threat.
Buckle up!
Any time you travel car accidents are a possibility. That's why we all wear our seat belts. Birds face a similar problem. Only for them, it's more like crashing into a wall, literally. Windows, power lines and cell phone towers are all difficult for a journey-worn bird to see. Often they slam into these structures and die.
What can we do? We can educate the public about hunting and wildlife. We can make backyard habitats and set aside special lands for wildlife. We can hang silhouettes in our windows to warn the birds. Even just filling your feeders helps. Little actions can make a difference when they are all added up.
In spite of these and many more dangers, many birds do make their trip. They enjoy more warm sunshine and eat to their heart's content until they are ready to return to their nesting grounds. The super abundant insects in our spring forests and meadows are just what they need to raise a family. If you are lucky you can watch a migratory bird return spring after spring to your feeder.
And remember: Happy birds mean a happy planet!
