Tuning In to Spring Migration

Billions of birds are on the move or getting ready to depart for spring migration. Warblers, shorebirds, waterfowl, raptors and more will navigate hundreds to thousands of miles guided by stars, magnetic fields, landmarks and instinct. In Washington, that means overwintering shorebirds like Dunlin are lifting off coastal mudflats and the geese and waterfowl that spent the winter in our marine waters are heading north toward boreal and Arctic breeding grounds. Many birds, including shorebirds and songbirds, migrate at night, taking advantage of the calmer conditions and the protection darkness provides from predators. Others, like hawks, falcons, and swallows, make their journeys in daylight, meaning migration is happening all around us and around the clock. Migration is one of the most extraordinary events in the natural world, and thanks to a new generation of tools, we can finally follow along, day or night! 

BirdCast uses weather radar to track bird movements across North America in near real-time, giving anyone a window into the scale of migration on any given night. Signing up for local migration alerts means you'll know when a major pulse of birds is passing over your area, making it easy to take one of the most impactful actions available to residents and building managers alike: turning your lights out. Artificial light disorients nocturnal migrants, pulling them off course and into deadly collisions with buildings. Lights Out, Washington! makes it simple to commit to this easy action for birds, and BirdCast tells you exactly when it matters most. 

For a closer look at individual birds, the Motus Wildlife Tracking Network uses a system of receiver stations to detect tiny tags attached to birds, bats, and insects. These towers log the date and time when a tagged individual passes through. Where BirdCast captures migration at a broad scale, Motus zooms in, helping scientists understand the timing and routes of specific species and individuals. That fine-grained picture is a reminder that every individual bird is on its own journey and needs our help to safely make it to its destination. Simple actions like keeping your cats indoors or ensuring your windows aren’t a bird-strike risk (by installing decals, screens, or patterned window film) can support not just birds passing through Washington, but our resident birds as well.  

The Audubon Bird Migration Explorer brings it all together, compiling tracking data from Motus and other tagging efforts into an interactive map showing which locations matter most for each species and when to expect them. Seeing Washington's role in a species' full annual journey makes the case for backyard habitat in a new way. Even a small yard planted with native species and managed without pesticides can be a critical refueling stop for a bird traveling thousands of miles. 

Of course, the most foundational tool for understanding bird migration doesn't require a screen at all. Simply getting outside and paying attention - noticing which birds are present, which have disappeared, and which new voices have arrived - builds the kind of seasonal awareness that can’t be replicated online. Technology like BirdCast, Motus, and the Audubon Bird Migration Explorer is a powerful way to deepen that understanding and connect local observations to a bigger picture. But it starts with showing up, attuning your senses, and appreciating the birds all around you! 

Learn more about BirdCast and sign up for your local migration alerts at birdcast.info. Explore tagged birds that are traveling through your area at motus.org or explore species migration routes and more at explorer.audubon.org. And finally, be sure to take the Lights Out, Washington! pledge.