2/19/2018 Threats Migrating Birds Face - Migration Risks

Birding Basics

Threats to Migrating Birds

Hazards of Migration
BY MELISSA MAYNTZ Updated 04/04/17

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2/19/2018 Threats Migrating Birds Face - Migration Risks

Migration is a hazardous journey, but those hazards are often overlooked in the
large-scale spectacle of millions of birds that successfully travel between their
breeding and wintering grounds each year. Birders who understand the threats

migrating birds face, however, can help those birds be better equipped for a
successful flight. Whether their migration is just a few hundred miles or as far as a
few thousand, every bird deserves the chance to reach their destination safely.

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2/19/2018 Threats Migrating Birds Face - Migration Risks

Migration Threats
Different birds face different threats along their journeys, but all birds have to
endure some risks as they migrate. The most common and most deadly threats to
migrating birds include...

■ Exhaustion
Birds fly hundreds of miles during migration, often covering large distances
without rest. Exhaustion can make birds less wary of potential threats, and
tired birds are more apt to collide with obstacles or falter in flight. This is
especially true if their flight path passes through storms or unfavorable wind
patterns, or if birds are migrating later in the season and must cover more
ground each day to reach their destination.
 

■ Starvation
Inadequate food supplies cause starvation among migrating birds every year.
This may be caused by habitat destruction that effectively strands migrating
birds without food along their route, or it can be due to greater feeding
competition among large flocks of migratory birds.
 

■ Collisions
Tens of thousands of migrating birds collide with obstacles in mid-flight during
both spring and fall migrations, and the majority of these collisions cause fatal
injuries. Even if the birds are not killed on impact, stunned birds are more
susceptible to predators. The most common obstacles that are hazardous to
migrating birds include tall glass buildings electrical wires and poles wind
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2/19/2018 Threats Migrating Birds Face - Migration Risks
migrating birds include tall glass buildings, electrical wires and poles, wind
turbines and similar structures.
 

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■ Predators
Predators kill hundreds of thousands of birds each year, and during migration,
migrating birds may be unaware of local predators at stopovers during their
journey. Outdoor cats and feral cats are the most common predators that
threaten migrating birds, but even wild predators can be a deadly hazard.
 

■ Disease
When migrating birds gather in large flocks, a disease outbreak can be
devastating. This can be even more detrimental when surviving birds carry the
illness to either breeding grounds or densely populated winter ranges. In those
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Threats Migrating Birds Face - Migration Risks
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large flocks, more birds may become infected and the overall population can be
decimated.
 

■ Pollution
Pollution such as lead poisoning or oil spills is not only harmful to locally
affected birds, but to migratory birds as well. Polluted habitats provide less
food, and birds that ingest toxins during migration may continue to suffer from
the poisonous effects longer after leaving the area. Furthermore, heavy pollution
will reduce available food supplies and suitable habitat, making it more difficult
for birds to complete their migration successfully.
 

■ Natural Disasters
Hurricanes, blizzards, wildfires and other natural disasters can destroy crucial
stopover and rest sites as well as destroying food sources birds need to refuel
along their journeys. Birds that are caught in these disasters can suffer other
effects that cause injury, debilitation or death, such as singed feathers in a
wildfire or freezing in an early or late blizzard.
 

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2/19/2018 Threats Migrating Birds Face - Migration Risks

■ Hunting
Many hunting seasons coincide with migration periods, making this perilous
time even more threatening for birds. Illegal hunting and poaching are also a
threat at this time. Even legitimate, experienced hunters may make mistakes
and inadvertently shoot protected birds that they have misidentified in flight.
 

■ Inexperience
A bird's own inexperience with migration can be a great threat to its success
and survival. Many juvenile birds make these long journeys without guidance
from adults. They may not be able to complete the trip if they are unsuccessful
in finding adequate food or if they stray too far from the typical migration route.
While birders may enjoy the vagrant sightings of inexperienced juveniles during
migration, straying far off course is likely a death sentence for the bird.
 

■ Ignorance
Many people don't realize how perilous migration can be for birds, and instead
chalk this seasonal behavior up as “just something birds do.” A more informed
public can better appreciate the threats birds face during migration. The more
awareness there is of those threats, the more likely it is that sufficient steps
will be taken to help birds survive.

How You Can Help

The first step in helping birds migrate successfully is to understand the threats they
face along the way. Birders who want to help migrating birds can minimize those
threats by...

■ Creating bird-friendly landscaping and preserving natural habitats for birds to

rest and refuel during migration. This includes choosing native plants and
providing water to birds as well as offering good food both naturally and
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through supplemental feeders.

 

■ Feeding birds year-round and choosing healthy, nutritious foods such as suet,
black-oil sunflower seeds, fruit, nuts and nectar to offer. These foods provide
high amounts of fat and sugar to help birds have plenty of energy during
migration.
 

■ Keeping bird feeders and bird baths clean and fresh to avoid spreading diseases
that could infect migrating birds and thus spread to migratory flocks.
 

■ Using several methods to prevent bird window collisions at home, and

supporting “lights out” campaigns in local cities where office buildings can be a
hazard to migrating birds. In large cities, volunteers are always welcome to
patrol collision zones to collect stunned birds so they can be effectively
rehabilitated.
 

■ Minimizing or avoiding pesticide use and taking care to dispose of oil, lead and
other toxic materials safely and responsibly so there is no environmental
contamination that can affect birds. If a spill occurs, participating in cleanup
efforts can help protect both local and migratory birds.
 

■ Taking steps to discourage feral cats and always keeping pet cats indoors so
they do not threaten birds. Dogs should always be closely supervised and
leashed when near popular bird habitats as well.
 

■ Supporting strong enforcement of local hunting laws and measures to prevent

poaching or illegal hunting activities.
 

■ Sharing your love of birds with friends and family members to introduce them
to this rewarding hobby. This helps raise awareness of birds in every season
and encourages more people to enjoy migration and protect migrating birds.
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Migration is a natural part of many birds' lives, but it is one fraught with danger. By
understanding the threats migrating birds face, it is possible for every birder to take
steps to help their feathered friends complete these seasonal journeys safely.
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