Look up! Here’s why experts say millions of birds are taking flight over the DC metro area this week — and when you can see them.
WASHINGTON — It’s a bird, it’s a plane! It’s… well, lots and lots of birds. Millions actually! While 2020 has been quite the year already, one viewer sent our Verify team a post, wondering if about four million birds are really flying over Maryland and if turning off outside lights makes much of a difference.
The Verify team talked to some outdoor experts. It’s not just Maryland that’s expected to see the birds — it’s all over the US! And turning off your outdoor lights actually might help them. Here’s what we found.
Will turning off your porch lights really help the millions of birds expected to fly across the country this week?
ANSWER: Yes, turning off outdoor lights like those on porches can help birds better migrate at night. And yes, millions of birds are expected to fly all over the country, even here in the DC metro area.
Kyle Horton, Assistant Professor of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology at Colorado State University
Christopher Murray, President, DC Audubon Society
We talked to two experts about if it’s just four million birds expected in Maryland, or if it’s even wider. The answer? A whole lot more than four million!
Here’s a look at the expected amount in the DC region, according to experts:
September 16: 3.5 million birds expected to migrate
September 17: 35 million birds
Why do birds migrate at all?
Birds migrate in the spring and the fall, either south or north. Migration is connected to mating and reproduction patterns, with experts saying that some birds migrate to find more plentiful resources.
So when they do they do that?
Well, 80% of them migrate at night, says Kyle Horton, an assistant professor studying wildlife conservation at Colorado State University. He says many birds start flying around 45 minutes after sunset with peak migration flight about 2-3 hours later, with a lot flying between 300-600 meters above ground level.
Christopher Murray from the DC Audubon Society said that many of these birds are already vulnerable from a tumultuous hurricane season that throws them off their courses and in places where they might not easily find food or shelter.
“So what that means is we shouldn’t do anything to make that job harder for them, and obviously, we can’t control the weather,” Murray said.
Want to check out when exactly you might see the birds themselves? Check out this interactive map that will pinpoint when you might see them.
One of the things that we can control is our behavior, including…
Read More: Verify: Why are there so many birds in the sky DC, bird migration