Witness the spectacular migration of millions of birds across Washington this week. Researchers urge residents to aid these nocturnal travelers by dimming lights to
SEATTLE — Washington’s night sky will be filled with millions of migrating birds in the coming nights!
According to BirdCast data, on the night of April 16, over 165 million birds will migrate across the country, and around 845,000 birds in Washington.
During the spring and fall months, billions of birds migrate across the United States, mainly at night. In Washington state, the spring migration season typically peaks around late April to mid-May.
In the fall, peak migration is estimated to occur in mid-September to early October. Researchers at BirdCast and Purdue University’s AeroEco Lab use radar, atmospheric data and modeling, historical records, and many other tools to study bird migration.
It helps researchers understand flight patterns and how artificial light and population impact migration patterns. Thanks to this research, we know more about when migrations peak, when and where birds stop, and how we can get involved to help their journey.
Researchers found that one of the biggest threats to migrating birds is artificial light. Brightly lit buildings and other forms of artificial light can attract and disorient birds, leading to confusion, exhaustion, and even collisions with buildings.
That’s where we can step in and help these feathery travelers! Scientists encourage all of us to join the “Lights Out” movement by turning off or dimming non-essential lights between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. during critical migration periods.
Additionally, making buildings and windows more bird-friendly can help prevent bird collisions.
Here’s the migration forecast as provided by AeroEco Lab:
Thursday Night:
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Washington: 844,900 birds
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Seattle: 2,900 birds
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Spokane: 278 birds
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Tacoma: 1,200 birds
Lights Out Alert Level: None
Friday Night
Lights Out Alert Level: Low to Medium
Saturday Night:
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Washington: 4.1 million birds
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Seattle: 11,200 birds
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Spokane: 1,400 birds
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Tacoma: 5,400 birds
Lights Out Alert Level: Low (Eastern Washington) to High (Western and Central Washington
You can track nightly real-time migration data using tools from BirdCast and AeroEco Lab.
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