Amazing Migration Facts
We all know many birds migrate in the spring and fall – 4 billion birds are headed south over the United States this season.
Some interesting facts about bird migration include:
- Only 2.6 billion return in the spring, as young birds born during the summer fly south with their parents, making the fall migration larger.
- Some birds, such as Canada geese, migrate during the day.
- Birds like Broad-winged hawks use thermals to help propel them on their migration south.
They need visual cues to fly in their well-known V formation. If they don’t watch where they go, they crash into other birds or will not stay in the correct aerodynamic position.
Other birds, such as some species of hawks and falcons, use thermal updrafts to convey them on their way, carrying them upward like an elevator before they glide down to find the next updraft, saving valuable energy by coasting over much of their journey.
Author's summary: Birds migrate using various techniques to conserve energy.