Get Ready for Spring Migration!
By: Frankie Pelletier
Feel like the birds have been extra loud recently? You’re not imagining things! Spring is now upon us, following the spring solstice on March 20 we are steadily approaching the peak of spring migration, which will last from mid-April to mid-May in southwest Virginia this year.
During this time there are, of course, more birds contributing to the dawn song every morning, as hundreds of thousands of migratory birds pass through the New River Valley. Numerous types of birds, including songbirds, raptors, water fowl and hummingbirds, are on their way back to North America after wintering in Central and South America. What you may not know is that birds are also singing louder and more often during the springtime. As breeding season approaches, both male and female birds sing louder as they search and compete for a mate to build a nest with.
Every year, plenty of birds migrate through our beautiful region of Appalachia, and can be spotted in parks, near rivers, on trails through the mountains and sometimes even on campus. This is a spectacle that entices thousands of people each year, and is a great way to start getting out in nature more as the weather welcomes us back outdoors in short sleeves and tennis shoes.
If you’re new to birds and birdwatching, don’t stress! There are plenty of resources online to help you identify birds you see and hear and learn about their habits, behaviors, and migration patterns. Merlin Bird ID is a great free, easy tool from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Just download the app, select your local region, let it listen to the sounds around you, and it will identify nearby birds by their song or call.
If you want to identify birds by sight, the Audubon app is the tool for you. This app allows you to choose qualities you can identify, such as color, size, type and activity-and will show you a list of birds in your region that match those qualities. On the app, you can learn more about each bird’s songs and calls, feeding behavior, conservation status and more. You can even track your sightings, so you never forget the birds you’ve identified, or where you saw them!
Spring migration is a natural occurrence that brings so many unfamiliar colors and melodies to the world, especially our beautiful, blooming New River Valley. This time of year is full of new wonders and opportunities ready to be explored, so it is the perfect time to get out there and learn about something new!
