FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] Re: yellowlegs fly at night?

[OLCOOT1@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 11/2/2005 1:42:49 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
kde@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
A little  more web searching found a few sites that
mention shorebirds migrating at  night and other
sites that talk about them migrating during  the
day.  So apparently whenever the zooganru (or whatever
it's  called) hits.

Dean



>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
Zugunruhe is the pre-migratory restlessness exhibited by birds when a  
combination of 2 hormones peak due to length of photo period and amount of body 
 
fat. Shorebirds are far more likely to travel at night than in the day for many 
 
reasons, but predators being a big point against day light travel. They move  
during the day usually for weather related reasons but by far most start  
migrations about 30 minutes before sundown with others following till after  
dark. 
 
From my experience at the pits, most of the birds leaving later are going  to 
roost rather than moving south. This goes along with the recent study  
showing some birds take a reading on the setting sun (among other things  they 
do 
for orientation ). I've been at the pits till after 1 AM just to see  (mainly 
hear) what the few that are left are doing and I've returned a few times  to 
record their return in the early hours way before daylight. The whistle of  
wings 
cutting the air in AR one morning was a great life experience as  5,000 plus 
yellowlegs returned to feed at some minnow ponds after roosting  off site that 
night. 
 
In the spring the largest turnover of birds during migration is between  9:30 
AM till 11 AM, when on a good migration day, lots of birds will drop in,  
some just resting a few minutes and going on north while others remain to feed  
for a few days. These birds left the coast the previous evening. One morning, I 
 had over 1200 birds arrive and just 300 leave in that time period.
 
Good Birding  !!!

Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA
6298 Memphis-Arlington Road
Bartlett, TN  38135


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