Since around February, birds have been migrating up to their breeding grounds here in the Northeast, building up to their peak migration in May. And May has finally arrived — here’s what birds to expect, and when to expect them.
First off, the highlights of May migration — warblers! These small, colorful birds arrive in massive waves during the first weeks of May, with diversity staying high all month long. I’m expecting a lot of warblers here in my area, but I’ll only cover the most notable here. Early in the month, expect Palm and Yellow-rumped warblers. But act quickly, they’ll begin to taper off by mid-May, replaced by Magnolia, Blackpoll, and Bay-breasted. Late-May is peak for Mourning, Wilson’s, and Canada warblers. The American Redstart, and the elusive Connecticut warbler can also be found around this time too!
Black-and-white, Nashville, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Northern Yellow, Chestnut-sided, and Common Yellowthroat can also be found throughout the month.
The amazing Yellow-bellied, Alder, Great-crested, and Olive-sided Flycatchers all peak in late May. Look up, because these birds can catch insects with perfect precision, mid-air! The Eastern Wood-Pewee (and yes, this bird does go pee-a-wee) gradually arrives throughout May, but stays throughout June to Early September.
Scarlet Tanagers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Ruby-throated hummingbirds, and Baltimore Orioles are signature birds of spring migration — known for their long migration distances and striking colors. Out of these, my favorite is the Oriole. They have such a distinct, beautiful song!
Another bird with a very long migration distance is the Red-eyed Vireo. This bird travels all the way from the Amazon rainforest, and sings constantly throughout the day!
Shorebirds collect through May, with many species at peak by the end of the month to early-June, such as the Dunlin, Ruddy Turnstone, and the White-rumped Sandpiper.
However, this is just a short list of migrating birds, and there are many more to find while birding. For additional information about migration, and to know how many birds are migrating by you in realtime, check out BirdCast (birdcast.org). And don’t forget to get out into the fields on Global Big Day (May 9th)!
Featured image by Ant Amanda on Pexels
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