Today's News
A/CPB
Oriole Migration Update: April 3, 1997
The excitement is building as we wait for the first orioles to appear this spring. We checked in recently with Houston-based birdwatcher & educator Donald Perkins for some news: "The peak of the migration hits mid-April. Sometime after the 16th I expect to go over to High Island, Texas which is the best birding spot in North America. I'll let you know what we see then." (dperkins@tenet.edu)
Carol Gersmehl, Macalester College
Ready for Take-Off?
Many songbirds return from Central America by taking a short-cut back to their breeding grounds, flying non-stop over the Gulf of Mexico. Take out a map and you'll see why. As the "crow" flies this is the most direct route--but it's also risky. As waves of songbirds prepare to make their spring journey, what might you see if you were standing on their staging grounds? What's happening on the coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, for example?
These staging grounds might remind you of a busy airport, full of planes preparing for take-off. Here's a wonderful description by the Houston Audubon Society, "Millions of songbirds push north to the Yucatan Peninsula and the adjacent Mexican coast. As the sun sets on a spring evening, the birds assemble into flocks along the shores. The flocks remain for only a short time, busily feeding and calling in their short characteristic chirps. Then, the single chirp of an anxious individual bird sends hundreds onto the air to begin a night journey across 500 miles of open water."
Challenge Question # 2
"Why do you think most neotropical migratory songbirds migrate at night?"
To respond to this Challenge Question please follow the instructions at the end of this report.
Weather: A Bird's Eye View from Dr. David Aborn
Once again this spring, we are lucky to have the help of ornithologist David Aborn who will help us watch migration as it relates to weather. Each week, he will interpret the weather map for us, and predict when, where and why he expects songbirds to move. It's important that you clip and save daily weather maps from your newspaper. (If you have good Internet access, many wealth of weather maps available electronically.)
Dear Students:
As I am sure you are aware, weather plays a very important role in bird
migration. This spring, I will teach you how to read a weather map to try to
predict areas of the country that might see large numbers of migrants landing.
Here's the background information you will need this spring. Please print and save it for future reference.
- Link to Weather: A Bird's Eye View
Let's look at a weather map. Early this week, a cold front moved into the Pacific states. There were southerly winds in front of it, so birds could migrate before the front arrived. The front was expected to reach the Gulf coast states by today or Friday. Many birds cross the Gulf of Mexico during migration, a 500 mile non-stop flight. These birds are often exhausted when they arrive, so headwinds or rain can force them to land in large numbers. Therefore, birdwatchers and researchers should expect to see an increase in migrants this weekend. More birds should also be seen anywhere after the front passes, but it will be particularly noticeable along the Gulf.
I will let you know what I and my colleagues see after the front moves through. Until then, take care and look for birds!
David A. Aborn
How to Respond to Journey North Oriole Challenge Question # 2
- Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-oriole@learner.org
- In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question # 2
- In the body of the message, give your answer to this question:
Challenge Question # 2
"Why do you think most neotropical migratory songbirds migrate at night?"
Don't Forget!
Please include the name of your school and your location so we can credit you properly for your answers.
The Next Oriole Migration Update Will be Posted on April 17, 1997.