The Magic of Migration

Sandhill Cranes near Wilcox, AZ

The spectacle of spring migration is now reaching its peak, with millions of birds heading north from their winter homes in Mexico, Central and South America to their nesting grounds in the US, Canada, and the Arctic.   And they’re in a hurry! 

Hermit Thrush with nestlings

There’s not much time to dawdle, because of their strong instincts to find a suitable nest spot and a mate, then to fatten up as much as they can before their nestlings hatch.   It takes a lot of energy for the all-day foraging necessary to keep those nestlings growing strong! 


In some bird species, the male and female build the next together, but in many species such as the Hermit Thrush, the female does it all.  It takes 7-10 days for her to build the nest from grass, leaves, pine needles, and small twigs, with mud and lichen around the outside to hold it to a branch.  Then she lines the nest with willow catkins and other soft plant materials before laying her eggs.  However, the male thrush does stay close to defend the territory around the nest, and helps feed the nestlings too.  

American Goldfinch male

Just as spring-flowering plants burst into bloom to attract pollinators, the plumage of many male birds changes to be much more colorful to attract a mate, and they’re easier to spot as they travel through.  This male American Goldfinch is almost finished with his complete color change from winter to spring.  My oh my, what a feast for the eyes.

The plumage of most female birds has much more subtle and muted colors, so that she will blend in with the surrounding colors of the nesting area, making herself and the nestlings less vulnerable to predators.

There are 4 general migration paths that birds follow each year, called “flyways”. Southern Arizona is part of the Pacific Flyway, but occasionally some birds that typically travel other flyways will be blown off-course by spring storms and end up coming through our skies. So keep looking up, and don’t be surprised if you see a rare bird overhead!  Besides your own back yard and the nearby Arivaca Cienega, many of the best migratory bird areas in the US are only a day-trip away. Visit http://tucsonaudubon.org to see lists and maps, and tips on which birds you’re likely to see.

Robins in my Seattle garden

During migration, all birds have to stop to rest, forage, and find shelter along the way, and your property could be a lifesaver for them if it provides any of their basic needs. Keeping a large, flat pan of fresh water available is an easy way to give them a helping hand.  Even a clean, upside-down trash can lid or big plastic plant saucer works great for this, especially with a few large flat rocks on the bottom for perching and quick take-off-traction.  Birds are at their most vulnerable to predators when drinking and bathing, they so will sometimes avoid a slick-surface “waterhole” even when thirsty.  Also, because most of our Arivaca winter is very dry, there’s not a lot of nature's food out there for them yet, so putting out some suet cakes or seed feeders right now can be a huge help, especially to songbirds.  Once the grasses and wildflowers have set seed and insects are out in full force, songbirds will find all the food they need out in nature. 

Migratory human

Thinking about bird migration has also made me consider my own migration path: After growing up in the Midwest, I set off on a journey to live my adult life in the Desert Southwest, but unexpectedly “blew off-course” to the Pacific Northwest for 40 years!  Then as winter migrants, my husband and I explored many desert areas together and were oh-so-lucky to find Arivaca in the mid-1990s.  It took us a while to finally stop and land here in 2016, but now when friends ask us if we’re Snowbirds, we just say, “No, we’re migratory”.   When summer rolls around we’ll be taking off again to our “nesting grounds” in the northwest, and will see you again during fall migration time, when even the birds born in the spring leave their nesting ground far behind and navigate the routes that their ancestors once flew.  There’s no way around it, migration is magic.  

Photo Credits:
Sandhill Cranes by Tucson Citizen
Hermit Thrush by Tom Martin, U.S. Geological Survey
American Goldfinch by Dennis Paulson
North American Flyways by the US Fish & Wildlife Service
Robins by Emily Bishton
Migratory human by Conrad Uno