Millions of birds are expected to take to the skies over the Chicago area in the coming days, as improved weather will make for ideal migrating conditions.
According to the latest updates from BirdCast, a project spearheaded by TheCornellLab of Ornithology, the Chicago area will in fact see high levels of migrating birds for at least the next three nights after seeing a significant dip in travel due to heavy rain that hit the area Tuesday.
The latest forecasts show a predicted 284 million birds in flight over the United States on Tuesday night, with the bulk of activity centering over the Mississippi River and parts of the upper Midwest, including Illinois.
This week’s rain grounded many birds, who prefer flying in dry conditions with calm winds and cool temperatures. Overnight on Sunday and into Monday, an estimated 33 million birds were in flight over Illinois, but by Tuesday just 3.4 million birds were estimated to have embarked on their migration journeys.
Overall, more than 497 million birds have crossed over Illinois as they head to their summer breeding grounds in Wisconsin and Canada, according to estimates provided by Birdcast.
Currently, Baltimore Orioles are continuing to migrate in large numbers, and other birds are starting to arrive en masse, including American Redstarts, Magnolia Warblers, Chestnut-sided Warblers and Eastern Wood-Pewees, according to the website.
Migrations typically accelerate during the month of May and begin to level out in June, but this year’s migration started early thanks to warmer-than-average temperatures, according to experts.
Local
Still, migration is expected to continue through the rest of the month, with the Chicago area occupying a key space on the flyway toward the north for species returning from Central and South America, as well as the southern United States.
In fact, residents are being asked to take steps to protect the vulnerable flying birds, including turning off all unnecessary exterior lights and interior lights in high-rise buildings during the overnight hours. Residents are also asked to close blinds if possible, as the lights can be disorienting to birds flying during that time.
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Finally, residents are asked to leave their cats indoors, as the animals step up hunting of prey at night and can injure or kill birds exhausted from their lengthy journeys.
More information, and access to local migration alerts, can be found on the BirdCast website.
