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<\/a>Team building migratory birdwatching activity<\/p><\/div>\n
When and where can I see migratory birds?<\/strong><\/p>\n The migration of different species follows a specific order. Those that spent the winter in the United States arrive in Quebec first. Those that were in South America arrive next. Some species settle in Quebec for the summer, but others are just passing by. The tundra swan is an example of migrant bird who stops in Quebec to feed and regain its strength before going further north.<\/p>\n In March, among the birds arriving are waterfowl and black birds (red-winged blackbirds, common grackles, and common starlings). In April, the list includes kinglets, sparrows, swallows, thrushes, and blackbirds. In May, wood-warblers and other long-distance migrants arrive.<\/p>\n Red-winged Blackbird, picture by Annie Trudeau<\/p><\/div>\n You can easily spot migratory birds, even from your window! Of course, there are better conditions if you want to see a variety of species. We suggest going in natural spaces early in the morning. The birds are more active there! If you\u2019re looking for particularly efficient spots, Audrey FM recommends:<\/p>\n In fact, May 9 and October 10, 2026, are dates to mark on your calendar. These are known as Global Big Days<\/a>. The goal is to record as many bird species as possible worldwide. In Quebec, we also have the Grand D\u00e9fi Qu\u00e9becOiseaux<\/a>. During the month of May, choose any day and record all your observations. This challenge, open to both the general public and experts, aims to raise funds for bird conservation.<\/p>\n Black-crowned night heron, picture by Annie Trudeau<\/p><\/div>\n If you\u2019re interested in bird identification, here are a few resources:<\/p>\n For those who are even more curious, you may visit a bird-banding station. In addition to seeing the birds up close, you\u2019ll have the chance to learn about this process, which is essential for bird research and conservation. Be prepared, visits are only possible when the weather permits it, early in the morning!<\/p>\n The bird observatories of the Canadian Migratory Bird Monitoring Network<\/em> have banded 2.5 million birds over the past 10 years [1]<\/a>. Furthermore, each year, approximately 3 to 5 billion birds migrate between the north and the south [1]<\/a>. This curious and impressive behavior has, however, a simple explanations.<\/p>\n Team building migratory birdwatching activity<\/p><\/div>\n Why they migrate?<\/strong><\/p>\n In winter, if you head south, it\u2019s to escape the cold and enjoy the sun. Migratory birds, however, do so for an entirely different reason: food availability. Some species that feed on seeds, fruits or prey can remain in our regions during the winter. They are called resident species. However, many insectivorous species and other species cannot meet their food needs by staying in Quebec. Instead, they move south where, during the winter, there is abundant food resources [2]<\/a>. In the spring, warmth returns to Quebec, and with it, food availability. Migratory birds return, and those that leave earliest have the chance to secure the best nesting sites.<\/p>\n It also \u00a0appears that birds that migrate as far north as the Arctic reduce the risk of nest predation. A study of the journal Science<\/em> found that for every additional degree of latitude north, there is a 3.6% reduction in nest predation [3]<\/a>. So, birds that migrate as far north as Greenland (82\u00b0 north latitude), rather than Labrador (53\u00b0 north latitude), would reduce nest predation by 66%.<\/p>\n The champion of migration is the Arctic tern. It travels all the way from Arctic to Antarctica and back. Some individuals even fly up to 80,000 km per year [4]<\/a>. The Arctic tern is also the species with the longest exposure to sunlight in the world due to its frequent visits to the Earth\u2019s poles. Even while traveling such great distances, the birds do not get lost.<\/p>\n Bird from the Scolopacidae family, picture by Annie Trudeau<\/p><\/div>\n How they find their way?<\/strong><\/p>\n Birds have a “built-in GPS”, an “olfactory map”, and a good memory [5]<\/a>! They navigate by observing the sky. They track the position of the sun during the day and the stars at night. They also remember landmarks such as mountains and rivers [6]<\/a>. Some birds even have a mineral in their beaks that acts like the magnet in a compass. Smell also plays a role [7]<\/a>. Pigeons whose olfactory nerves were sectioned were then unable to find their way back [8]<\/a>. Despite all these navigation techniques, migration remains a difficult journey from which not all birds return.<\/p>\n Many simply die of exhaustion during the journey. Others fall victim to human development. For example, the destruction of natural habitats reduces the number of places where birds can stop to feed and rest during their migration. In addition, light pollution from cities disorients birds and causes them to divert from their migration path [9]<\/a>. Furthermore, reflective buildings and houses’ windows cause collisions with many birds every year [10]<\/a>.<\/p>\n Great blue heron, picture by Annie Trudeau<\/p><\/div>\n It\u2019s even more appreciated to see birds return in spring, knowing the magnitude of their effort. They migrate to meet their food needs and are able to find their way back thanks to their internal navigation systems. Let\u2019s observe them without disturbing them, they\u2019ve earned it! Finally, here are two other interesting vulgarised science resources on bird migration:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Le R\u00e9seau canadien de surveillance des migrations. (2021). Le R\u00e9seau canadien de surveillance des migrations\u00a0: vingts ans de recherche sur les oiseaux terrestres au Canada. Rapport technique no 3 du RCSM. Oiseaux Canada, Port Rowan, Ontario. \u00a0https:\/\/www.oiseauxcanada.org\/etudier-les-oiseaux\/le-reseau-canadien-de-surveillance-des-migrations-rcsm<\/a><\/p>\n [2]<\/a> Rappole, J.H. (2022).\u00a0Bird Migration<\/em>:\u00a0A New Understanding<\/em>. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.\u00a0https:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1353\/book.100160<\/a>.<\/p>\n [3]<\/a> McKinnon, L. et al. (2010). Lower Predation Risk for Migratory<\/p>\n Birds at High Latitudes. Science (1880 to 2025)<\/em>,\u00a0327<\/em>(5963), 326\u2013327. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1126\/science.1183010<\/a><\/p>\n [4]<\/a> Egevang, C.\u00a0et al. (2010). Tracking of Arctic terns Sterna paradisaea reveals longest animal migration.\u00a0Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America<\/em>,\u00a0107<\/em>(5), 2078\u20132081. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1073\/pnas.0909493107<\/p>\n [5]<\/a> Mouritsen, H. (2018). Long-distance navigation and magnetoreception in migratory animals.\u00a0Nature<\/em>,\u00a0558<\/em>(7708), 50\u201359. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1038\/s41586-018-0176-1<\/p>\n [6]<\/a> National G\u00e9ographic. (2018). Les secrets des oiseaux migrateurs. https:\/\/www.nationalgeographic.fr\/animaux\/2018\/03\/les-secrets-des-oiseaux-migrateurs<\/a><\/p>\n [7]<\/a> Gagliardo, A. and al. (2013). Oceanic navigation in Cory\u2019s shearwaters: evidence for a crucial role of olfactory cues for homing after displacement.\u00a0The Journal of Experimental Biology<\/em>,\u00a0216<\/em>(Pt 15), 2798\u20132805. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1242\/jeb.085738<\/p>\n [8]<\/a> Gagliardo, A. (2013). Forty years of olfactory navigation in birds.\u00a0The Journal of Experimental Biology<\/em>,\u00a0216<\/em>(Pt 12), 2165\u20132171. https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1242\/jeb.070250<\/p>\n [9]<\/a> McDonnell, M. et al. (2009).\u00a0Ecology of Cities and Towns<\/em>. Cambridge University Press,<\/p>\n Cambridge.10.1017\/CBO9780511609763<\/a><\/p>\n [10]<\/a> Qu\u00e9becOiseaux. (s.d.). Collision des oiseaux avec les fen\u00eatres. [Website]. https:\/\/www.quebecoiseaux.org\/fr\/collisions-fenetres<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n It\u2019s spring time, which means migratory birds are returning to Quebec. Have you seen any lately? We took this opportunity to do a team building \u00a0birdwatching activity near Nicolet. You may spot snow geese and Canada geese everywhere, but others […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":5349,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,20,16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5387","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-frontpage","category-leisure","category-topicality"],"yoast_head":"\n<\/a>\n
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By Audrey Th\u00e9riault and Audrey Foisy-Morissette<\/h5>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"