Wild Songbird Migratory Stopover Welfare

Migratory songbirds rely on specific stopover habitats to rest and refuel during journeys of thousands of kilometers, and the quality of these sites directly determines individual bird welfare and survival.

Key Facts

Some migratory songbirds fly non-stop for up to 90 hours across the Gulf of Mexico during spring migration
Stopover sites provide critical food and rest for birds exhausted by long-distance flight
Habitat degradation at stopover sites forces birds to continue migration in poor condition
Light pollution in cities causes disorientation and window strikes during nocturnal migration
Songbird populations have declined by approximately 3 billion individuals in North America since 1970

Welfare Considerations

Individual migratory songbirds arriving at degraded stopover sites without adequate food resources face exhaustion-induced death or must continue migration in depleted condition that increases mortality risk. The welfare of individual birds during migration is critically dependent on the chain of stopover habitats connecting their breeding and wintering grounds. Restoring native plant communities at stopover sites, reducing building lighting during peak migration nights, and preventing window strikes collectively improve the welfare of billions of migrating songbirds each spring and fall.

What You Can Do

Plant native fruiting shrubs and insect-supporting plants that provide food for migratory songbirds
Turn off unnecessary lights on tall buildings during peak migration nights in spring and fall
Apply bird-safe window treatments to prevent collision mortality during migration
Support American Bird Conservancy and Audubon Society migratory bird habitat programs