In the opening days of May, Indiana’s night sky transforms into an aerial freeway as millions of birds embark on their northern journey to their summertime abodes.
Various herons, sparrows, and buntings migrate in massive flocks across the state—on certain evenings, the count can reach up to 10 million or even higher. While some will discover suitable locations for their summer breeding grounds within this area, the majority will stop briefly to recuperate along the southern coastline.
Lake Michigan
before travelling even farther north.
The peak time for migration within the state occurs during the second weekend of May, according to Whitney Yoerger.
Indiana Audubon
said. The number of birds starting ramping up in late April, making this a great time to get up early and witness part of the migration that goes largely unnoticed by most Hoosiers.
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In the initial part of May, around 4.5 million birds were recorded migrating over Indiana during nighttime hours on average. Experts anticipate this number will rise to approximately 6 million birds per night for the remainder of the month. Although these nightly aviators are rarely spotted visually, their presence is frequently detected through sound.
All the bird calls in the morning form an impressive overlay of various species,” Yoerger explained. “The birds flitting among the treetops appear as though they’re cascading from one branch to another due to numerous small flocks roaming about, attempting to seize all the insects and natural sustenance available in their surroundings.
millions of birds passing through the state during what many Hoosiers were missing out on as they slept. A single night in late April saw an extraordinary number of avian travelers.
Eleven million birds undertake this migration.
Under the veil of night, as per The Cornell Lab’s BirdCast, migrations occur. The migration dashboard monitors these figures using radar data.
Why birds migrate at night
According to Yoerger, roughly 80% of North America’s migratory landbirds undertake their journeys at night. While certain species like Blue Jays may travel during daylight, most others make use of nighttime winds for migration.
Yoerger pointed out that the nocturnal tailwinds significantly contribute to flight efficiency, allowing birds to conserve energy and reach their destinations with reduced concern over predation.
As they benefit from the tailwinds, birds use celestial navigation to head north, relying on guidance from the stars and the moon throughout their trip. The favorable conditions include peaceful, colder nights illuminated by starlight, providing them with ideal circumstances for migration.
Indiana Audubon nighttime bird project
To provide Hoosiers with a sense of the large-scale migration occurring overhead as they sleep, Indiana Audubbon initiated a campaign.
Reflections of the Evening Heavens initiative
.
The initiative began in spring 2024 to gather audio data on nocturnal bird flight calls during migration across the state. Participants, including Yoerger, installed recording equipment on their land to capture these sounds as the birds passed above.
“It’s truly enabling us to record those species that would otherwise remain unnoticed,” Yoerger stated.
Bats traveling through the night sky can be hard to spot, but with this initiative, participants have the chance to examine the visual interpretation of sound recordings to better understand what’s soaring above them and observe how the spring migration unfolds at different locations throughout Indiana.
Indians assisting nocturnal avian creatures
“The Echoes of the Night Sky” doesn’t just record the nocturnal flights of birds; it also assists Hoosiers in understanding how they can support these creatures during their migrations, according to Yoerger.
Indiana Audubon will issue Lights Out warnings via its social media platforms to inform Hoosiers about when they should switch off their exterior lights during nighttime hours.
Lights, particularly LED lights, pose issues and confuse birds,” Yoerger stated. “By participating in these Lights Out initiatives, you’re taking action to help the birds.
Indiana plays a vital role as a migration route for these birds, and assisting them along some of their most northerly routes can have significant benefits across the continent, according to Yoerger.
The IndyStar’s environmental reporting initiative is enabled by the substantial backing of the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, a non-profit organization.
Karl Schneider serves as an environmental reporter for IndyStar. You can contact him via email at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow his work on BlueSky.
@karlstartswithk.bsky.social
The article initially appeared in the Indianapolis Star.
While you were sleeping, millions of birds passed above Indiana. Here’s what’s driving them and where they’re going.
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