Neotropical Migrants

Many bird species which spend much of the year in Mexico, the Caribbean and South and Central America move north in spring to take advantage of the abundant insect and plant life in North America. They nest and raise their young during the summer months. As the temperatures become colder and food becomes more scarce, these summer visitors fly south to warmer areas thus getting the best of both worlds.

While they may defend a nesting territory during their time up north, many of these birds are not so aggressive during their time in the south.

While travelling to or from their summer home, they may be exposed to hazards along the way. They may need to consume more food than usual so that they have the necessary energy to complete a long flight or they may need to stop and find food along the way to rebuild their energy. They may encounter harsh weather conditions. Some may even be hunted or killed as pests if they feed in cultivated fields. Conservation measures which protect migratory birds are relatively recent and some birds became extinct due to over-hunting.

How do they find their way?

Birds may use a number of cues to guide them on their route Young birds sometimes make their first journey south without the aid of their parents as guide so the migration route may be "pre-programmed" in their brains!

The signal that it is time to begin migration may be changes in

Related Links

[home]