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 Spring
Has Sprung
One great way to tell
that spring is here, is watching the birds. Suddenly, a bleak, leafless
tree sprouts new leaves and is full of chattering, singing birds.
No two species of birds follow the same path
as they fly from breeding grounds to wintering grounds and back again.
In North America there are four flyways, The Atlantic, The Pacific, The
Mississippi and the Central flyway. The usual pattern is flying north in
the spring to breed while longer days provide more opportunities for
feeding the young. As the days shorten in autumn, the birds fly south to
warmer regions where the food supply will be better. Some birds will fly
thousands of miles. Each bird species has there own "best" time to
arrive in their breeding areas. The strongest males usually arrive first
to stake out their territories. The females follow, select their mates
and the couples begin the building of the nest process. When the nest is
finished, the female will lay the eggs, and depending on the species,
the eggs will be incubated by the couple or by just one of the birds
until they hatch. The fledglings are raised just in time for the journey
back south to the wintering grounds.
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Routes used by birds are typically
established because no mountains or large hills block the flyway over
its entire extent and good sources of water, food, and cover exist over
its entire length.
The
Atlantic Flyway extends from the offshore waters of the Atlantic Coast
westward to the Allegheny Mountains, curves north west to cross West
Virginia and Ohio, crosses Canada to the Arctic Coast of Alaska.
The Mississippi Flyway runs from southern
Ontario to Lake Eire, then turns southwest to cross Ohio and Indiana to
the Mississippi, following the river. It merges into the Central Flyway
in parts and is the longest migration route in the Western
Hemisphere-ranging from the Arctic Coast of Alaska to the southern end
of Patagonia.
The Central flyway runs through western
Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana, follows the Gulf Coast of Mexico
southwards, then crosses the great plains on way to the Rocky Mountains.
The Pacific flyway starts in the western
Arctic, Alaska, Aleutian Island and the Rocky Mountains of Canada and
goes south to Central and South America, paralleling the coast line of
British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California.
Photo courtesy of Alan D. Wilson
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This site developed by Big Blend Magazine™. copyrighted since 1998. No part of it may be reproduced for any reason, with out written permission from Big Blend Magazine, P.O. Box 867, Green Valley, AZ 85622.Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily that of this publication or any of its staff. We reserve the right to edit submittals. All subject matter is intended for general information only and not to be take as personal advice in any matter. Although every effort is made to be accurate, we cannot be held responsible for inaccuracies or plagiarized copy submitted to us by advertisers or contributors. |
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