Millions of birds are migrating across the US as Fall migration begins to peak

If you step outside tonight and look up at the sky, you probably won’t see much happening. But high above you, millions of birds could be making one of the most remarkable journeys in the natural world. Fall migration is getting underway across North America, and birds are beginning their annual journeys south toward their wintering grounds. The remarkable part is that much of this migration happens after dark, when the birds are almost completely invisible to us. According toBirdCast, more than 80% of migratory bird species in North America migrate at night. The project uses weather surveillance radar across the United States to track these movements, allowing scientists to estimate how many birds are in the air, where they’re heading, and how quickly they’re moving. The timing is particularly interesting right now, as BirdCast identifies mid-August through mid-November as the main period for nocturnal fall migration in North America – although the peak varies considerably depending on location. Where Are The Birds Going? The majority of birds beginning their fall migration are heading south, although exactly where they travel depends on the species. Some birds will make relatively short journeys, while others will travel thousands of miles to reach their wintering grounds in the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and South America. The United States sits directly beneath several major migration routes, or flyways as they’re otherwise known. These include theAtlantic Flywayalong the eastern seaboard, theMississippi Flywaythrough the center of the country, theCentral Flywaythrough the Great Plains, and thePacific Flywayin the west. That means the number of birds passing overhead can vary enormously depending on where you live. BirdCast’s Migration Dashboard allows people to check estimated migration activity for individual counties across the United States. It provides information including the estimated number of birds in flight,

If you step outside tonight and look up at the sky, you probably won’t see much happening.