Animal Migrations

Migration Basics

Equipment

Binoculars, identification books, calendar noting when species will be viewable, use of internet to help time and plan trip.

Licenses and Regulations

None needed for most viewing.

Insights

Many birds and animals migrate in order to take advantage of food supplies as seasons change. Migration distances can vary from a few miles for some animals to thousands of miles for several bird species. Migrations usually occur at the same time each year for a given species.  Knowing these dates can help plan interesting vacations to witness such wonders as the swallows of Capistrano returning March 19 or Monarch butterflies at various stopover points. Even fish such as perch migrate in deep lakes as they follow the warm water as it sinks to the bottom and follows the lake contour to holes. Quite often prey migrate with a species.The whole food chain then migrates such as cougar following elk. 

Notes

Some migrations are spectacular as tens of thousands of snow geese and swans find fields to feed on near Mount Vernon or 250,000 sandhill crane migrate through Nebraska farmland heading south. If you take time to plan your vacation, your viewings can coincide with other nature events such as watching prairie chickens and sharp tail grouse perform mating dances in Nebraska.