February 19, 2020

Andrew Campbell 

Birds migration is usual, but it is rare for radar to discover their migration journey. On February 17, US National Weather Service captured a huge swarm of bird migration from South America passed over Key West, Florida. It was a dream for ornithologist.

According to the twitter of US National Weather Service, it was an unusual night for Key West station because of birds.

Birds took hours to fly over to the Key West Station. They navigated by moon and stars. The conditions of atmospheric allowed the systems to capture their route. The radar presented their route in yellow and green light. 

The radius of flocks is around 90 miles, meteorologists said. According to the Tampa Bay Times, the size of the flocks might be huger. 

Every year, millions of birds will have the journey to fly over thousands of miles to a certain location where it is appropriate for them to feed and have food supply. 

Cornwell University made an animation to show around 118 species in America that will migrate. Some of them start their journey North in February. The largest migration happened in March and April. 

The tiny northern parula is one of the birds that flies over Florida after they spend winter in the Caribbean and Central America. Up to now, specific reasons for migration are still unknown. 

Climate change might increase the risk for migration. According to the studies, US and Canada have been faced with 29 % decline of birds’ populations in the last 50 years. 

Photo:Webshot.