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As seasons change, many birders lament that migration is ending – whether that is spring turning into the heat of summer or fall waning into winter. This isn’t true, however, as birds are migrating (somewhere!) 365 days a year.
The Timing of Bird Migration
If you ask when birds migrate, the most common answers are spring and fall. These are incomplete answers, however.
While it is true that spring and fall may be “peak” migration periods, in fact birds will migrate year-round depending on their reasons for moving between different regions.
If food is a motivating factor for birds to move along on their journeys, migration will be timed somewhat to the natural cycles of abundance and scarcity in different regions. This could be connected to seasonal weather patterns when foods come and go, such as insect or prey breeding cycles, wildflower bloom times, or seed maturation. To be clear, however, putting out bird feeders does not have a significant impact on bird migration timing, because birds don’t get altogether that much food from feeders.
Climate can be an overall factor for some bird migrations, especially adaptable eaters that adjust as different food sources come and go. But when the weather may get too cold or snow buries preferred foods, the birds may move on to a different area where they can forage more conveniently. These migrations often aren’t as far or dramatic, but they’re most definitely seasonal movements.
Birds also migrate instinctively as related to their breeding needs. It takes a larger territory to support a hungry brood of growing chicks, and some birds migrate to less populous areas in order to have enough room to ensure the success of their next generation.
Regardless of the reason for migration, the exact timing of it can vary from place to place. Just ask birders in Minnesota compared to Mississippi and you’ll get radically different answers of when different seasons are – from the first spring bloom to the first (if any!) winter snow.
When MOST Birds Migrate
With all those factors considered, it is indeed true that spring and fall are the peak periods of migration in most areas. While the exact dates will vary (even from year-to-year in the same area), this is when most birds are on the move and the periods we typically think of as bird migration.
Hundreds of thousands of birds may be migrating simultaneously in spring and fall, whether they are truly migrating in a flock or their journeys are coincidental due to the easiest flight routes, weather patterns, and air currents. This is when some locations put on birding festivals or spectacular counting events, tracking migration and gauging populations, ranges, and breeding successes for the year.
When to Find Migrating Birds
Spring and fall are also spectacular birding times because both seasons are more comfortable birding times than their deep season counterparts. With more pleasant weather, birders can spend hours in the field if they wish, with even more opportunities to enjoy vagrant sightings and seasonal guests. Typically away from peak holiday periods – winter holidays from Halloween to New Year’s or summer holidays and school vacations – it may also be easier for birders to play hooky for a day and enjoy some birds instead.
Of course, because birds are migrating every day of the year, there’s never a bad time for birding during migration!
