Today's News
A/CPB
Neotropical Migratory Songbird Update: April 10, 1997
Cerulean Warbler David Aborn
Of the 660 birds that breed in North America, 350 spend the winter south of the U.S. border. Collectively, these species are known as "Neotropical Migrants".
This spring, we are tracking the migrations of 3 species of neotropical migratory songbirds; Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Baltimore Orioles and Bullock's Orioles. Here are links to the latest updates, as well as a weekly weather "Weather Forecast for the Birds":
- Latest Ruby-throated Hummingbird Migration Update
- Latest Oriole Migration Update (Baltimore and Bullock's)
- Link to Background Information About Weather and Songbird Migration
Weather Forecast for the Birds
As migratory songbirds flood north across the U.S. border from their southern wintering grounds, we'll watch how weather affects their journeys. Here is the second weekly weather report from our Texas-based ornithologist and weather correspondent, Dr. David Aborn:
| To: | Journey North |
| From: | David Aborn |
| Date: | April 8, 1997 |
Scarlet Tanager USFWS
Dear Students:As I had predicted (see April 3rd update ), the cold front moved through the Gulf coast states last weekend (4/5 & 4/6). The strong north winds around the high pressure center that followed it forced a lot of birds to land. On the Texas Gulf coast, 17 species of warblers were seen, including Cerulean Warbler and Golden-winged Warbler! There were also Summer and Scarlet Tanagers, and an Olive-sided Flycatcher. Here in central Texas, I saw quite a few birds myself, including lots of Yellow-rumped Warblers, a few Magnolia Warblers, Nashville Warblers, Canada Warblers, White-eyed Vireos, Solitary Vireos, and a Louisiana Waterthrush. By Monday (4/7/97), the high had moved east, so the winds changed to the south on the back side of the high, so many of those birds continued their migration.
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If you look at a weather map for this week you will see another cold front poised to move across the country. There is also a low pressure center moving across the southern plains states from Mexico. Remember what I told you about lows, they often bring rain. Well, the winds from that low are going to keep the front to our north until the low moves away. The low is also supposed to bring rain all week around here.
So what does that all mean for the birds? The bad weather is going to keep migration to a minimum, even though there are south winds. Once the rain clears out towards the end of the week, birds should start moving again. With the low out of the way, the cold front is expected to move through this weekend. Once again, the north winds following the front should force birds to land, and it should be a good weekend for birders and bird researchers. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. Until next week...!
David A. Aborn
David_Aborn@baylor.edu