Don’t delay in checking out these bird migration tools. Active forecasting of bird migration will end November 15, 2022. Don’t you want to know how many birds are flying above your town tonight?

Thanks to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, other colleges, organizations and foundations, forecast maps and migration alert tools are available for our use. First, download birdcast.info on your computer. Then choose one of the migration tools. Enter your county and state to learn the number of birds flying overhead each night. The nocturnal migration count begins 3 hours after sunset. It is updated every 6 hours so we can watch the live migration happening across the lower 48 USA states.

I especially like the local bird migration alert. It provides the current night’s migration forecast for the town I enter along with the upcoming 2 nights. Depending upon where you may be, a low forecast may be 3,000 birds/kilometer/night. Whereas in another town in a neighboring state on the same night, the count may be 25,000 birds/kilometer/night! 

Your best bet is to go on-line, birdcast.info and click away on the various bird migration tools available to us. This is the time of year when birds are moving, so check out what’s happening where you live. Or choose other places and see what is happening in that night sky! 

Active forecasting is only between March 1 – June 1 and August 1 – November 15 as birds migrate in the USA. Don’t forget: light pollution is a threat to migrating birds – please do your part: lights out! Thanks.