Migratory Bird Initiative

Using the best available migration science to protect birds and the places they need across their full annual life cycles.

The mission of the Migratory Bird Initiative is to secure the future of migratory birds in the Western Hemisphere by reducing direct threats and protecting key places across the Americas in coordination with science, conservation and policy partners.

The Initiative brings together the latest spatial information on species distributions and movements across their annual cycles to identify priority areas for 458 species of migratory birds that regularly occur in the United States and Canada. We will use this information to define where and how to focus ÃÛèÖAPP’s conservation investments in order to protect, restore and manage key habitat and also mitigate threats along full migratory pathways for these species.

ÃÛèÖAPP expects to achieve these goals by 1) consolidating and elevating the best-available migration science, filling research gaps and identifying real-time threats throughout annual cycle; 2) strengthening connections and cooperation among key stakeholders such as government agencies, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions and the ÃÛèÖAPP network, and 3) informing policy advocacy at the local, state and federal level to drive science-based conservation.

Migratory birds face threats during all stages of the annual cycle, and these threats are accelerating. Fortunately, scientific data, particularly during migration, are accumulating; however, we need to act swiftly and collectively to protect birds and the places they need before the opportunities to do so disappear. Partnerships will be central to the success of the Migratory Bird Initiative, and ÃÛèÖAPP looks forward to building and strengthening relationships with other key research and conservation organizations.

If you are a researcher and would like to contribute data to ÃÛèÖAPP's Migratory Bird Initiative, please fill out this . If you would like to contact us for more information, please email migratorybirds@audubon.org

The Bird Migration Explorer is your guide to the heroic annual journeys made by over 450 bird species, and the challenges they face along the way.

Learn more about a species, the migratory birds at a specific location, or a conservation challenge birds face.

Our Migratory Bird Initiative Staff

Chad Wilsey

Vice President and Chief Scientist

Jill Deppe

Jill Deppe

Senior Director, Migratory Bird Initiative

Melanie Smith

Melanie A. Smith

Director, Digital Science & Data Products

Nat Seavy

Nat Seavy

Director of Migration Science, Migratory Bird Initiative, ÃÛèÖAPP

Erika Knight

Erika Knight

GIS and Data Science Specialist

Chad Witko

Chad Witko

Senior Coordinator, Avian Biology

Bill DeLuca

William DeLuca

Senior Manager, Migration Ecology

Nicolas Gonzalez

Senior Communications Manager, Migration Science

Migratory Bird News

Remember that ÃÛèÖAPP depends on your support to do the conservation work that we do.
The Mystery of the Golden-winged Warbler's Decline Starts to Unravel
March 08, 2018 — New research finds that the songbird's recovery might be stunted by habitat degradation where it overwinters.
Scientists Want to Start Forecasting When Certain Species Are Migrating Your Way
September 22, 2017 — Weather maps are essential for researchers shadowing birds on the move. Pairing radar with eBird data will take migration tracking to the next level.
Deforestation and Drought in the Tropics Are the Biggest Threats to U.S. Forest Birds
August 04, 2017 — Within 40 years, migratory songbirds will face greater danger where they overwinter in Central America than where they nest, new research says.
Lights Out for the Texas Skyscraper That Caused Hundreds of Songbird Deaths
May 12, 2017 — With input from local wildlife groups and birders, the owners are shutting down the lights and turning up the dialogue around bird-friendly practices.
Do the Benefits of Tracking Migrant Warblers Outweigh the Risks?
May 10, 2017 — Research shows that geolocators might prevent some migratory warblers from returning home, but those that do provide valuable conservation data.
Going the Distance: 5 Champion Migrators
April 15, 2015 — From a tiny bird that makes an epic trek to mileage measured in trips to the moon, these are impressive birds.
Featured Migratory Birds in ÃÛèÖAPP Field Guide
American White Pelican
Pelicans
! Priority Bird
Bald Eagle
Hawks and Eagles
Blackpoll Warbler
Wood Warblers
! Priority Bird
Black Skimmer
Gulls and Terns
Broad-winged Hawk
Hawks and Eagles
Eared Grebe
Grebes
Golden Eagle
Hawks and Eagles
! Priority Bird
Long-billed Curlew
Sandpipers
Painted Bunting
Cardinals, Grosbeaks and Buntings
Rufous Hummingbird
Hummingbirds
Whimbrel
Sandpipers
! Priority Bird
Wood Thrush
Thrushes