The Migrants Are Coming Back!!

Burlington Campus. From Aiken center to redstone campus to the golf course. Urban habitat with vegetation such as river birch, eastern white pine, and cattails.
4/03/2021
9-10:30am
30 degrees Fahrenheit, Sunny & Blue Sky, 5-15mph winds

Some of the year-round residents in Burlington include the Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Cardinal, and Tufted Titmouse. For these birds, the energy costs and increased predation associated with migration outweigh the benefits in resource abundance that could be found in wintering grounds. These species find ways of staying warm in the winter through growing more down feathers and nesting in cavities. Since they stay in one place year round they get to know their area intimately. They are able to find food in urban areas or on plants that have seeds year round. They know what territory is available, who the predators are and where to nest.

One facultative migrant is the American Robin. Robins eat earthworms and insects. As these resources wane, the species may decide to migrate south to find more food. As predation and competition increases in the wintering grounds these species may decide to move back north as warmer weather makes earthworms and insects more available again. When arriving in the breeding or wintering grounds robins will fiercly defend a specific territory, betting on good resource abundance in the area they choose. The Robins in Vermont could have been coming anywhere along the east coast, as far down as Florida.

Some Robins change their diet in order to stay in one place year round. Instead of eating earthworms and insects the Robins will eat winter fruits and berries, including junipers, hollies, crabapples, and hawthorns. They will also become nomadic, moving around to find the habitat with most abundant resources. For instance if it snows in one area, the robins may move to another nearby area with less snow. Another winter adaption includes forming flocks. Larger groups mean more eyes and improved chances to spot and avoid predators. Flocks also increase the odds of discovering food.

All migrants observed: Eastern Phoebe, Turkey Vulture, Dark-eyed Junco, European Starling, White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse, Canada Goose, American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird, American Goldfinch, Song Sparrows, Mallard

Estimated total miles traveled (both directions) by all the facultative and obligate migrants: 21,000 miles

Posted on April 5, 2021 04:48 PM by samharesteig