Billions of Birds Break Migration Record

Quick Smiles:

• Over 1.2 billion birds migrated south in a single, record-breaking night.
• BirdCast uses radar to help everyone watch and protect bird migrations in real time.
• Perfect weather and live maps helped create a truly spectacular natural event.

In late September, BirdCast tracked an incredible 1.2 billion birds migrating through the night—the largest single-night total since the project began.

This inspiring feat was observed on weather radar, which also powers daily weather forecasts, revealing the breathtaking scale of nature in action.

“These numbers are almost inconceivable,” said Andrew Farnsworth, a researcher at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “They’re enormous… even for people that study migration regularly. The scale of how many organisms that this represents, is just mind blowing.”

Calm winds and clear conditions helped make this migration surge possible as birds journeyed to their winter homes.

The previous milestone, one billion birds, was first recorded in October 2023, but this event far exceeded that, representing about 10% of the continent’s birds in flight at once.

“It’s really unbelievable,” said Farnsworth.

BirdCast.org offers live migration and forecast maps, making it easy for everyone to witness and help protect birds as they travel.

Turning off unnecessary lights at night and applying bird-friendly window markings are simple ways to keep migrating birds safe.

As Farnsworth shared, “BirdCast gives the ability for more people to engage in and participate in this incredible spectacle.”

Experience the wonders of migration and lend a helping hand to our feathered friends!

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