Bird Migration Presentation 1. LSC-CyFair Bird Migration Tim Sebesta Dept. Chair of Exercise and Military Sciences Professor of.Managing House Sparrows 'Without question the most deplorable event in the history of American ornithology was the introduction of the English. Releasing butterflies for the fall migration is one of the greatest joys of raising. Think about it, the monarchs you release will be making an incredible journey. House Sparrow History - Compiled by E.A. Less than 200 years ago, there were no House Sparrows in North America. Now these cosmopolitan birds. North American Migration Flyways which include major and minor routes for the Atlantic, Mississippi, Central and Pacific flyways. While in their winter habitat, Chipping Sparrows are non-stop eating machines. With an average body weight of only 13 grams, Chipping Sparrows consume more than 70. Sparrow sized, slate gray plumage with white outer tail feathers. Adults are generally grey on top with a white belly. The white outer tail feathers. Bird Migration The Whys and Hows of Bird Migration. As spring moves across the land, it triggers a fantastic movement of animals. The RSPB: Tree sparrow. Conservation status: Red. Smaller than a house sparrow and more active, with its tail almost permanently cocked. It has a chestnut brown head and nape (rather than grey), and white cheeks and collar with a contrasting black cheek spot. They are shyer than house sparrows in the UK and are rarely associated with people, although in continental Europe they often nest in buildings just like house sparrows. The UK tree sparrow population has suffered a severe decline, estimated at 9. However, recent Breeding Bird Survey data is encouraging, suggesting that numbers may have started to increase, albeit from a very low point. Tree sparrow. The main populations are now found across the Midlands, southern and eastern England. It is almost absent from the south west, Wales and the north west. Best looked for in hedgerows and woodland edges. When to see them. All year round. What they eat. Seeds and insects. Population. Europe. UK breeding*UK wintering*UK passage*- 2. Migration - Wild Birds Unlimited. Bird Migration is a fascinating time for many bird watchers. It is also a fun time for many people who feed the birds. Migration can happen right in your own backyard. How Birds Migrate. A streamlined body shape and a lightweight skeleton composed of hollow bones minimize air resistance and reduce the amount of energy necessary to become and remain airborne. Well- developed pectoral muscles, which are attached to a uniquely avian structure called the furculum, power the flapping motion of the wings. The long feathers of the wings act as airfoils which help generate the lift necessary for flight. Birds have a large, four- chambered heart which proportionately weighs 6 times more than a human heart. This, combined with a rapid heartbeat (the resting heart rate of a small songbird is about 5. Unlike mammalian or reptilian lungs, the lungs of birds remain inflated at all times, with the air sacs acting as bellows to provide the lungs with a constant supply of fresh air. How high do birds fly? Most songbirds migrate at 5. Bar- headed Geese at 9,0. Flight = Mobility. Flight affords mobility and has made possible the evolution of avian migration as a means of access to distant food resources. It also means avoiding the physiological stress associated with cold weather. Variations in the patterns of migration are numerous. Some species move only a few kilometers up and down mountain slopes. Others will travel hundreds or even thousands of kilometers, some over vast bodies of water or tracts of inhospitable terrain. The Arctic Tern makes an annual round- trip of about 3. Arctic breeding grounds to Antarctic seas. According to the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, a Blackpoll Warbler could boast of getting 7. The tiny Ruby- throated Hummingbird, weighing only about as much as a penny, makes the 1,0. Gulf of Mexico from the Yucat. It is estimated that half of all migrants heading south for the winter will not return to breed in the spring. Predation and bad weather are two natural causes of mortality during migration. Collisions with tall buildings, windows, and other structures, being shot or trapped by hunters, and getting struck by automobiles are a few of the numerous human- made dangers. Unfortunately, many birds cannot distinguish the difference between real sky and a reflection of the sky in a window. Dr. Dan Klem of Muhlenberg College estimates that each year, in the United States alone, during migration 9. Dr. Klem says we can minimize these collisions by breaking up the reflection on the outside of the window with a non- reflective window coating, window screens, flash tape and bird netting. Planting trees and installing window awnings to block the sun from hitting the window may eliminate some reflection. Putting a bird feeder on or within a few feet of a window helps to slow birds down and lessen the effect of impact. The continued loss and degradation of stopover habitat, however, is potentially the greatest threat of all. As birds fly south, they may find fewer places to rest. Forests are being cleared and fragmented. Neo- tropical migrants have a hard time when they migrate and find fragments of forest or no forest at all. Clear cutting in forests has had a serious negative effect on neo- tropical birds. Agricultural practices can also have negative effects on neo- tropical migrants. Importance of Stopover Sites. A migrating bird faced with the dilemma of a stopover site having disappeared may not have any viable options. Without places along the way that provide an adequate food supply for the quick replenishment of fat reserves, shelter from predators, and water, these birds are probably not going to make it. Declines in the numbers of many Neo- tropical migratory bird species have been detected over the past several decades. There are two main causes: fragmentation of breeding habitat and destruction of tropical forests on the wintering grounds. As the birds move north in waves, they fan out across the eastern U. S., feeding on the all- you- can- eat buffet of insects that hatch out in the spring. This broad- front movement pattern means that songbird stopover sites are widely dispersed across the wooded areas of the eastern U. S. Also in the fall, at lower elevations, foothill riparian areas (rivers, streams and creeks) provide important fruit bearing plants for birds such as tanagers and grosbeaks. Loss and degradation of stopover habitat not only can result in more birds dying while on migration, but it can also have serious repercussions in terms of nesting success. For example, birds heading north are already constrained by the relatively short amount of time available to get to the breeding grounds, establish a territory, pair with a mate, and get on with the further demands of raising young. Late arrival, or arrival in poor condition, on the breeding grounds because of inadequate food and rest en route, is likely to jeopardize a bird’s ability to reproduce. Conservation = Economic sense. The conservation of migratory birds depends on conservation of habitats, but parks and reserves alone will not provide adequate space for protection. The fate of migratory birds and other wide- ranging species depends upon the quality of human- managed habitats. The health of temperate and tropical ecosystems is bound together by the migration of billions of birds each year–and shaded coffee plantations play a key role. This form of land use may itself be on the way to becoming an endangered species. Protect and Create Habitat. You can create and restore habitat at home, at your workplace and in your local park or wildlife refuge. You can make any property attractive to birds by offering water, shelter, food and nesting habitat. Some points to help birds. You can start by evaluating your property. It is important to remember that a diversity of habitat encourages a larger variety of birds. Dead trees and brush piles provide shelter, nest sites and food (insects) for migrating birds. Providing water can be as simple as putting out a bird bath or as complicated as installing a pond with a creek and waterfall. Herbicides, fungicides and pesticides – can be lethal to birds. Put out bird feeders, seed, fruit and nectar feeders, and fruit. Landscape the yard with native evergreen and fruit bearing trees, shrubs, grasses and vines. Design the garden so that plants flower and fruit throughout the spring, summer and fall. Having a source of water (especially a moving source) can help attract more migratory birds. Getting involved in migratory bird conservation here in the United States or in Latin America can be as simple as writing a check, donating equipment or picking up a shovel.
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