Henslow’s Sparrow. Aaron Brees/Macaulay Library. 29 May 2016. eBird S29969406

Continental Summary

As spring migration winds down, light flights featuring late shorebirds, Eastern Kingbird, Cedar Waxwing, and Grasshopper Sparrow continue in the West early and late in the period primarily in montane areas, while the last vestiges of moderate to locally heavy flights featuring late shorebirds, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Cedar Waxwing, Sedge Wren, and Henslow’s Sparrow grace the East during the second half of the forecast period.

Arrows show wind speed and direction (arrow points in the direction to which wind is blowing) 100 m above ground level. Areas with southerly winds are colored red; northerly winds colored blue. Accumulated precipitation (in 6 hour intervals) is green, outlined by white. Broadly speaking, areas of the map in red will experience conditions that are favorable for migration, and areas where red and green (and red and blue) intersect and overlap may experience migrant concentrations and fallouts as migrants interact with precipitation.

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Quick Links to Regions

Upper Midwest and Northeast	Gulf Coast and Southeast
Great Plains	West

Upper Midwest and Northeast

This late spring period begins with unsettled weather across much of the region, with precipitation and unfavorable winds hindering the passage of some of the season’s late migrants. Where skies are clearer and winds lighter, locally moderate and heavy flights will occur. However, these will become increasingly sparse by mid work week, as a disturbance finally moves through the region. By the end of the week, Thursday night, most remaining migrants will take flight as favorable conditions return in what will likely be the last larger movement of the season before migrants begin returning to non-breeding locations.

Sedge Wren. Joe Coppock/Macaulay Library. 31 May 2016. eBird S30011138

Species on the Move

Beginning Arrivals What is this?

Peaking Arrivals

Beginning Departures

Ending Departures

Gulf Coast and Southeast

Generally unfavorable migration conditions highlight the beginning of this late spring period, with skies that are free of precipitation increasingly dominated by bats and insects. Bird migration will be light to locally moderate where it occurs for the first half of the forecast period. As a frontal boundary responsible for these conditions moves off to the east, favorable flight conditions return. By Wednesday night, late migrants that have not passed through the region will take flight in moderate movements primarily west of the Mississippi River. Thursday night will see similarly intense movements of tardy migrants for the entire region.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Robert Jilek/Macaulay Library. 31 May 2016. eBird S30008637

Beginning Arrivals What is this?

Peaking Arrivals

Beginning Departures

Ending Departures

Great Plains

The first half of the forecast period will see most late migrants move in locally light to moderate flights that are isolated in pockets of marginal migration conditions. Not until Tuesday and Wednesday nights do more favorable conditions arrive to spawn more intense and extensive flights. Flights will be locally moderate to heavy. These conditions continue to Friday, although a disturbance passing to the north will shut down movements in the northern Plains.

Baird’s Sparrow. Steve Morytko/Macaulay Library. 28 May 2016. eBird S29953711

Species on the Move

Beginning Arrivals What is this?

Peaking Arrivals

Beginning Departures

Ending Departures

West

The final spring season pulses of light movements will be scattered locally across the region for the weekend. Monday and Tuesday nights will see more intense movements that are slightly more extensive, particularly from the Desert Southwest east and north along the Rockies. Conditions for these movements continue through the end of the period in more eastern reaches of the region, facilitating similarly intense and extensive flights; however, a disturbance passing through the northern Rockies will impede the progress of these late season movers by Wednesday and Thursday nights.

Common Nighthawk. Alan Versaw/Macaulay Library. 1 Jun 2016. eBird S30035389

Species on the Move

Beginning Arrivals What is this?

Peaking Arrivals

Beginning Departures

Ending Departures

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Farnsworth and Van Doren