Migratory Bird Initiative

Using the best available migration science to protect birds and the places they need across their full annual life cycles.

The mission of the Migratory Bird Initiative is to secure the future of migratory birds in the Western Hemisphere by reducing direct threats and protecting key places across the Americas in coordination with science, conservation and policy partners.

The Initiative brings together the latest spatial information on species distributions and movements across their annual cycles to identify priority areas for 458 species of migratory birds that regularly occur in the United States and Canada. We will use this information to define where and how to focus Audubon’s conservation investments in order to protect, restore and manage key habitat and also mitigate threats along full migratory pathways for these species.

Audubon expects to achieve these goals by 1) consolidating and elevating the best-available migration science, filling research gaps and identifying real-time threats throughout annual cycle; 2) strengthening connections and cooperation among key stakeholders such as government agencies, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions and the Audubon network, and 3) informing policy advocacy at the local, state and federal level to drive science-based conservation.

Migratory birds face threats during all stages of the annual cycle, and these threats are accelerating. Fortunately, scientific data, particularly during migration, are accumulating; however, we need to act swiftly and collectively to protect birds and the places they need before the opportunities to do so disappear. Partnerships will be central to the success of the Migratory Bird Initiative, and Audubon looks forward to building and strengthening relationships with other key research and conservation organizations.

If you are a researcher and would like to contribute data to Audubon's Migratory Bird Initiative, please fill out this Data Sharing Agreement. If you would like to contact us for more information, please email migratorybirds@audubon.org

The Bird Migration Explorer is your guide to the heroic annual journeys made by over 450 bird species, and the challenges they face along the way.

Learn more about a species, the migratory birds at a specific location, or a conservation challenge birds face.

Check out the Bird Migration Explorer
Our Migratory Bird Initiative Staff

Chad Wilsey

Vice President and Chief Scientist

Jill Deppe

Jill Deppe

Senior Director, Migratory Bird Initiative

Melanie Smith

Melanie A. Smith

Director, Digital Science & Data Products

Nat Seavy

Nat Seavy

Director of Migration Science, Migratory Bird Initiative, National Audubon Society

Erika Knight

Erika Knight

GIS and Data Science Specialist

Chad Witko

Chad Witko

Senior Coordinator, Avian Biology

Bill DeLuca

William DeLuca

Senior Manager, Migration Ecology

Nicolas Gonzalez

Senior Communications Manager, Migration Science

Migratory Bird News

Remember that Audubon depends on your support to do the conservation work that we do.

Tens of Millions of Western Birds Depend on These Two Regions During Migration

January 26, 2021 — California’s Central Valley and the Colorado River Delta are critical stopover sites for dozens of migrant species, according to new research.

Audubon Scientists Reveal Migration Bottlenecks Used by Tens of Millions of Birds

January 26, 2021 — New study details how California’s Central Valley and the Colorado River Delta in Mexico provide food and shelter for globally significant numbers of migratory birds.

Artificial Lighting May Shift Bird Migration by More Than a Week, New Research Says

January 14, 2021 — Purple Martins exposed to bright nighttime light migrated eight days early—which could lead to starvation at their breeding grounds.

Where Will Rocky the Northern Saw-whet Owl Spend the Holidays?

December 22, 2020 — To learn where the beloved Rockefeller Center Christmas tree owl will go for the winter, Audubon's Migratory Bird Initiative spoke to owl researcher Sean Beckett.

New Study Finds Humboldt Bay is Among the Most Important Places in the Entire Hemisphere for Migratory Shorebirds

December 07, 2020 — Its intertidal mudflats crowded with migratory shorebirds each year, this California bay is threatened by the aquaculture industry.

As American Kestrels Mysteriously Decline, Researchers Look to Their Migration for Clues

November 20, 2020 — We still don't know a lot about the migration of North America's smallest falcon, but these scientists are using tracking technology that will help inform their conservation.

Philadelphia Sees Largest Mass Collision Event in the City in 70 Years

October 27, 2020 — Reflecting on the “gruesome and overwhelming” day, experts remain hopeful that the event will inspire action for bird-friendly communities.

Ask Kenn: Do More Birds Migrate Through the Eastern United States?

October 15, 2020 — In this month's Ask Kenn!, bird expert Kenn Kaufman provides a detailed look at how geography shapes the routes of migratory birds.

What You Need to Know About the Migratory Bird Initiative

September 22, 2020 — Audubon outreach biologists Mikko Jimenez and Chad Witko discuss this ambitious project to protect birds along their full migratory journeys.

It's Summer, and That Means Fall Migration is Already Underway

July 10, 2020 — For some migratory birds, "fall" is more of a guideline than a rule.
Featured Migratory Birds in Audubon Field Guide
American White Pelican
Pelicans
! Priority Bird
Bald Eagle
Hawks and Eagles
Blackpoll Warbler
Wood Warblers
! Priority Bird
Black Skimmer
Gulls and Terns
Broad-winged Hawk
Hawks and Eagles
Eared Grebe
Grebes
Golden Eagle
Hawks and Eagles
! Priority Bird
Long-billed Curlew
Sandpipers
Painted Bunting
Cardinals, Grosbeaks and Buntings
Rufous Hummingbird
Hummingbirds
Whimbrel
Sandpipers
! Priority Bird
Wood Thrush
Thrushes