October 2022 • Nebraskaland 41
Along with shorebirds and songbirds, waterfowl — like
these fl ocks of Canada geese and snow geese in Scotts
Bluff County — usually migrate at night, arriving to new
locations to rest and refuel during the day.
JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
On the
Move
Again
E x p l o r e Fa l l
B i r d M i g r a t i o n
s summer vacations come to an end and a new
season of Husker football begins, many birds
have already begun their journeys from northern
breeding territories to their southern wintering grounds.
Songbirds, shorebirds and waterfowl typically migrate
at night, arriving to new locations to rest and refuel
during the day. This is an exciting time for birders as our
favorite locations can transform literally overnight from
having almost no avian activity to an abundance of new
birds scattered about.
Typically, fall migration is more prolonged than
spring migration, as birds have more time to get to their
wintering areas compared to the rush in spring to arrive
fi rst to claim the best breeding territories. There are also
many more birds on the landscape than in spring, as all
the young birds hatched during the summer attempt
their fi rst migration south. This more relaxed pace of
migration, along with the addition of many more birds,
off ers excellent birding opportunities for both novice and
experienced birders.
In Nebraska, fall migration begins as early as late June
with yellowlegs returning, marbled godwits heading
south, and long-billed curlews fl ocking together before
fl ying south. Other shorebirds like American avocet peak
their migration from mid to late August. Songbirds and
raptors move through in waves starting in September
A
By Olivia DaRugna
Watchable Wildlife Biologist
