The skies are getting a little lighter and the trees a little louder with birdsong, which means spring migration season has begun! While some birds will choose North Carolina as their final destination, others simply see our state as a short stopover along the way. Whether you simply plan to enjoy watching a feathered friend hop around your yard or consider yourself a full-fledged bird nerd, we’ve got a few simple ways you can make birds’ migration a successful one!

Billions of birds have left the warm, tropical lands of the Southern US and Central and South America where they spent the past winter, to begin the annual trek to their spring breeding grounds. Typically, North Carolina’s peak migration season is from mid-March through mid-May. The adventure varies for each species, with some traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles to return for another year of raising their new chicks. With such a long trip, these birds face numerous obstacles including predators and the impact of human development.

Audubon makes it a top priority to provide birds with safer passage to and through North Carolina, and you can help!

Turning Out the Lights

Many migrating songbirds travel through the night using stars as their guide. When conditions like fog cause these nighttime travelers to fly lower, they may become confused by the lights of tall buildings in our cities and towns. Studies have found that upward-facing, bright lights can disorient birds that then collide with the building windows.

Up to 988 million birds are killed each year in the U.S. alone.

Audubon North Carolina’s Bird-Friendly Communities initiative is making a difference for migrating birds and their survival with Lights Out North Carolina. Volunteers in three major cities: Charlotte, Raleigh and Winston-Salem, are working with building owners to turn out their lights for the good of the birds! And it doesn’t hurt for people either. When businesses turn out their lights during peak migration seasons from 11 pm to dawn, they are not only giving safe passage to another flock, they are significantly cutting electricity usage and emissions as well.

Feasting on Backyard Natives

As temperatures begin to warm and April showers are right around the corner, are you considering your backyard birds when choosing those May flowers?

"It's simple: By gardening with native plants, no matter where you live or how small or large your space is, you can help sustain wildlife."

- Doug Tallamy, Bringing Nature Home

As you begin thinking about the types of plants you’ll grow this year, consider how the plants you choose can help provide much needed food and shelter to a migrating bird that has stopped over for a rest.

Native plants provide necessary food, shelter from predators and a place to perch while they refuel before the next leg of their long journey.

How many native plants do you have in your backyard? If you would like to add more that are particularly supportive of both our migrant and resident bird species, check out our Plant Native for Birds brochures for suggestions on plants that will do well in both the coastal plain and the piedmont (check back soon for a mountain version).

Back to the Beach

Spring is more than a time to plant beautiful flowers, it can also be a countdown to summer, sand and surf. While you are dreaming of warmer weather and a summer glow, join us in welcoming back some migrating birds that are making their way to North Carolina’s coast to build their nests and raise their young on the beach!

While you are enjoying the coast, remember that sharing is caring and we should all care about the birds that call our beaches home. Here are a few tips to make it a good season for birds, people and all wildlife enjoying the beach this year!

• Keep an eye out for posted signs and barriers protecting birds and their babies
• If you see a nest, stay back and give the birds space they need
• Keep your dog on a leash so it doesn’t disturb the nesters

Want to learn more about the beach birds sharing the beach? Find an Audubon beach bird steward. They love birds, and better yet, they would love to talk about them with you! Find out more about the stewards here.

Now it’s your turn! Join us in welcoming back these feathered travelers and kick off Spring Migration Season by helping the birds in your neighborhood. Here’s how you can get started.

• Volunteer for a Lights Out program in your city.
• Grow native plants in your garden to support new baby birds and the passers by with necessary food and shelter to help them survive and thrive.
• Welcome back the beach-nesters by sharing the shore with birds and their babies.