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any birds remain in
Nebraska all year long.
Nuthatches, woodpeckers
and blue jays can be found
in Nebraska during any
season. Other birds, like
ducks, hummingbirds and
many songbirds, can only be
found in Nebraska during
the summer. Where do
these birds go? Well, when
the days start getting shorter
and colder, these birds move
or migrate south
for the winter.
Many people
believe birds migrate
because it is too cold in
Nebraska during the winter.
If that were true, all birds
would migrate. The real
reason they migrate is
for food. In the summer,
Nebraska has plenty of
food for all kinds of birds –
fish, insects, nectar, seeds,
berries
and
worms.
But when
winter arrives, Nebraska's
lakes freeze, our flowers wilt
and our insects die. Birds
that rely on these sources
of food must migrate to get
enough to eat.
So why do birds migrate
back to the north for the
summer? This has to do with
birds wanting more space
to spread out. During the
summer months, birds mate
and have babies. Most bird
species want to have lots
of room when raising
their young. More space
means more food and
when you are trying to
feed lots of little mouths,
this is really important!
And while this makes
sense to us, remember that
migration is really dangerous
for birds. Birds must find
enough food to fuel this long
journey, escape predators
along the way and avoid
large cities and buildings. The
next time you see migrating
birds, take a moment to wish
them a safe journey!
M I G R AT I O N M A D N E S S !
A"MAZE"ING
MIGRATION
Help this piping plover get
from its summer home
in Nebraska to its winter
home in Texas.
x
x
Northern
Pintail Ducks
BIRDOLOGY: A Kid's Book About Birds — 13
