Showcasing the spectacle of bird migration
When, where, and how far will birds migrate? How many birds passed last night? Our tools help you explore the answers to these and many other questions about bird migration.
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Migration tools
Bird migration forecast maps
Bird migration forecast maps show predicted nocturnal migration 3 hours after local sunset and are updated every 6 hours. Colorado State University and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology currently produce these forecasts.
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Local bird migration alerts
Search with our local migration alert tool to determine whether birds are passing overhead near your city tonight!
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Live bird migration maps
See real-time analysis maps of intensities of actual nocturnal bird migration, as detected by the US weather surveillance radar network between local sunset to sunrise. Cornell Lab of Ornithology currently produces these maps.
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Recent news
Aeroecological research is more than simply studies of bird migration. Victoria Simons is studying how Tree Swallow foraging behavior relates to their usage of airspace as habitat. Read more
To inform the public on threats from light pollution to migrating birds, Colorado State University's Dr. Kyle Horton and his collaborators are hosting a virtual seminar series this fall entitled, “Transdisciplinary perspectives on artificial-lights-at-night and achieving sustainable night skies.” Read more
With much anticipation, the BirdCast team welcomes you to our Fall 2022 season! Our migration tools are now live, so please feel free to explore! Read more
NASA Earth Observatory images by Joshua Stevens, using Suomi NPP VIIRS data from Miguel Román, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
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BirdCast Partners and Support
BirdCast is a consortium of interdisciplinary researchers, primarily from three organizations at present, with a growing list of collaborators, supporters, and partners. Learn more
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Core funders
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