Skip to main content
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.
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.
Our Migratory Bird Initiative Staff
Chad Wilsey
Vice President and Chief Scientist
Jill Deppe
Senior Director, Migratory Bird Initiative
Melanie A. Smith
Director, Digital Science & Data Products
Nat Seavy
Director of Migration Science, Migratory Bird Initiative, National Audubon Society
Erika Knight
GIS and Data Science Specialist
Chad Witko
Senior Coordinator, Avian Biology
William DeLuca
Senior Manager, Migration Ecology
Nicolas Gonzalez
Senior Communications Manager, Migration Science
Migratory Bird News
Building Collisions Are a Greater Danger for Some Birds Than Others
July 09, 2020 —
Migratory species that zip through the woods for insects are more likely to crash, researchers find—a vulnerability that may be speeding their decline.
The First Half of 2020 Included Some Good News for Birds
July 02, 2020 —
From coast to coast, bird conservationists reported these remarkable migration success stories.
Grisly Report Raises Questions About the Cruise Industry's Impact on Migrating Birds
May 28, 2020 —
Lights on ships can lure birds to their deaths, but nearly a decade after a call for more research, the scale of the problem is anyone's guess.
These Mighty Birds Connect People Across the Pacific Ocean Every Year
May 21, 2020 —
Some of the most impressive bird migrations shrink the distance across our largest ocean.
Vermont Teens Draw Climate Solace from Drawing Birds
May 21, 2020 —
Students at Brattleboro Union High School use art to channel both their climate grief and love for birds.
How Scientists Learned About The Blackpoll Warbler's Epic Migration
May 08, 2020 —
Tiny, high-tech backpacks help us protect these songbirds throughout their full migratory cycle.
It Takes A Hemisphere To Protect A Godwit
May 08, 2020 —
As we celebrate World Migratory Bird Day, let’s remember the international cooperation needed to protect birds throughout their full annual cycle, year after year.
Spring Bird Migration and the Indigenous Stewardship That Sustains It
March 13, 2020 —
Let's use spring migration to galvanize collective action across the continent.
Featured Migratory Birds in Audubon Field Guide
Get Audubon in Your Inbox
Let us send you the latest in bird and conservation news.