Over 30 million birds will land in Wisconsin beginning Friday; here's what to know
Over 30 million birds are expected to land somewhere in Wisconsin on Friday morning after unpredictable weather conditions during this migration season have created an unprecedented peak this year.
With the weather expected to become turbulent again this weekend, Wisconsin could become a birdwatcher's dream as millions of birds could be calling the Badger State home until the weather clears — here's what to know.
When are the birds expected to land?
Bird expert and University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Stanley Temple said most of the birds that will make Wisconsin home on Friday were in Missouri or Arkansas on Thursday afternoon.
Temple said these birds are expected to take flight Thursday night and will land somewhere in Wisconsin by Friday morning. As for where they will land, Temple said that is anyone's guess.
“There are so many factors that go into predicting where they will land, like wind and route, but it’s very likely they will be in Wisconsin by Friday morning,” Temple said.
What kind of birds will be arriving?
Temple said common birds like robins and red-winged blackbirds are already back as they have only migrated a few hundred miles. However, most of the birds that will be seen this weekend will have migrated thousands of miles from Central and South America.
This group of birds will include the likes of orioles, ruby-throated hummingbirds, warblers and different types of flycatchers.
How long will these birds stay?
Ordinarily, flocks of birds would only stay in any given location for about a day before leaving. With rain possible across the state on Friday this could cause the birds to stay grounded for longer than usual.
Moreover, migration season is expected to last until the end of May, which means lingering flocks can be seen even after this weekend.
Where is the best place to bird watch?
At this time it is hard to say where the best place to bird watch will be because experts don't know where the flocks will land.
Websites like Birdcast can help give an idea of how the birds will move through the state and when the birds do land, the eBird app will help you track where bird sightings have been documented.
How can you prepare for the influx of birds?
Temple said large migrations tend to leave birds very vulnerable as they are often tired and disoriented with their new surroundings.
Some ways you can help protect these birds are by keeping cats in the house and turning off the lights when leaving your home or workplace so birds don't accidentally fly into windows.
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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 30 million birds from Central, South America will migrate to Wisconsin
