When You Can Expect Bird Migration To Hit Its Peak This Spring

Spring is an exciting time for bird watchers because it's when their feathered friends take advantage of the increase in food sources and nesting locations as the weather warms up. Many bird enthusiasts track migration in anticipation of the annual phenomenon. To get a precise estimation of when the largest influx of birds is likely to hit your region, it's a good idea to nail down the peak migration timeline within your local area. Spring bird migration takes place from March 1 to June 15. However, peak migration varies from region to region. 

For example, peak bird migration in Garden Grove, California takes place from April 23 to May 16. Comparatively, migration peaks in Buffalo, New York between May 7 and 27. You can search for your city (or the city closest to you) in the list of peak bird migration periods across the United States on the BirdCast website. Once you confirm the dates, you can begin preparing for migration ahead of time to provide birds with a warm welcome upon their arrival. 

There's a lot you can do to support their migration, including marking your windows and turning off your lights at night to prevent birds from flying into the glass. Hanging a bird feeder in your yard is a good idea too. Confirming your local peak migration period makes it easier for you to accomplish these tasks when they matter the most. 

Your local peak bird migration period is determined by evaluating when 50% of all nocturnal bird migration made its way through your city between 1995 to 2018. Given this information, you can be sure that the aforementioned list provides accurate peak period estimates. Consider writing down your local peak migration dates so that you can refer to them as needed. This way, you can plan ahead to make their travel a bit easier. There are a few tasks you should complete if you would like to support birds during migration season.

First, consider turning your lights off at night after 11 p.m., especially if you live in a tall building. Birds are drawn to the light so they may accidentally fly into windows or slam against buildings with lights that can be seen from the outside at night. It's also a good idea to make your yard an ideal environment for birds that may pass through. You can accomplish this by adding plants they find appealing, leaving out bird feeders, and laying a few branches down so that the insects birds consume can use them as shelter. These adjustments will help you attract more birds to your yard when they pass through your region.