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Bird Migration

A close up portrait of a small, streaky, brown and white bird looking at the camera.
Migrating Birds Change Their Scenery—and Their Gut Bacteria
April 20, 2023 — A new study using birds killed in window collisions finds avian microbiomes, unlike those of mammals including humans, vary as they travel, changing with the surrounding environments.
A little brown and white thrush with its feathers fluffed up perches on a fallen tree in a forest holding a red berry in its beak.
Forest Fragments Act Like ‘Convenience Stores’ for Migrating Birds, Study Finds
March 31, 2023 — Using radar data, scientists identified the most popular stopover sites for migrants across the eastern United States. But these same strongholds are often overlooked in conservation strategies
This Wave Theory of Spring Migration Will Prepare You for Your Next Birding Outing
March 06, 2023 — Songbirds don’t leave their wintering grounds all together. Here’s when to expect different species as they cross the eastern United States.
A yellow bird in flight, blue sky in the background.
Migrating Male Birds Race Ahead to Keep Up with Spring’s Early Arrival
January 26, 2023 — New research finds females are lagging behind males as they try and keep up with earlier springs driven by climate change.
Bird Science
An illustration of a bird flying between brightly and dimly lit cities.
How to Make Your Outdoor Home Lighting Bird-Friendly
May 31, 2022 — Learn about shielding lights and other ways to make your outdoor lighting more bird-friendly.
ROCKIES Bird-friendly Buildings
A female Wilson’s Phalarope swims in a shallow wetland.
Funneling Phalaropes
May 13, 2022 — Follow the hemispheric migration of the Wilson’s Phalarope.
ROCKIES
Yellow Warbler perched on a branch.
5 Birds That Migrate to the Rockies
April 29, 2022 — How to identify five common migratory birds in Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah.
ROCKIES Bird Identificiation
A Western Meadowlark stands alert in a field of tall, green grass.
Where to Look for Birds During Spring Migration
April 25, 2022 — Learn about birds commonly seen in the spring in the Rockies and where to look for them.
ROCKIES Birding
Easy Ways to Help Migratory Birds
April 19, 2022 — Four simple steps you can take to help birds migrate safely.
ROCKIES
How and Why Did Bird Migration Evolve?
April 19, 2022 — The drive for birds to migrate is at least partially genetic. How those genes developed—and how they function in modern birds—isn't fully known.