Submitted by Rachael Grove
Every spring, birds make an amazing migration halfway across the world from the tropics back to their breeding sites in the United States. They travel thousands of miles, usually two to three hours after sunset, at speeds of 20-30 mph. According to BirdCast, as of April 11, 2026, over 23.6 million birds are in flight.
How they find their way back to their original breeding spot is still a mystery but scientists believe they have a built in compass that senses the earth’s magnetic field. They also rely on the sun and the stars, and certain landmarks. Regardless, bird banding has verified that they do return every year, year after year. Some spring and fall routes will vary slightly due to seasonal patterns in weather and food availability which is most likely due to climate change and habitat loss.
Nevertheless, birds migrate every year facing such obstacles as exposure to predators, bad weather, inadequate food supplies, tall buildings and communication towers. Also, many species are attracted to lights on tall buildings. It is estimated that as many as one billion birds die to building collisions. As a result, initiatives were started to get businesses to dim or turn off their lights between dusk and dawn each spring and fall during migration season to reduce bird deaths. They also estimate that they have saved thousands of dollars in electricity costs during this time by participating in the program. We each can do our part in helping the birds and lowering our energy bill by participating as well.
So get out and enjoy their beauty and lovely songs. There is still time to do this either on your own or with a group. Many state and local parks offer field trips. In addition, the Arc of Appalachia is offering two weekend events in early May for birders. One will help will you acquire skills to identify birds by their song and another one that features wildflowers and songbirds of Ohio’s deep south.
For more information, go to www.arcofappalachia.org, click on the Education Calendar, and scroll down to find an event.
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