Refer to BirdCast to monitor migrations of birds across the continental United States (A migrating Swainson’s Thrush photographed by Paul Konrad). A strong bird migration surge was recorded live on weather radar about midnight Saturday, estimated to include about 192 million birds. You can review live ongoing migration patterns, and refer to past nights of migration activity provided by BirdCast. An especially interesting BirdCast map of the continental United States showing lines of peak migration dates, prepared using more than 20 years of bird migration information by the Colorado State University AeroEcology Lab.

BirdCast provides real-time analysis maps that show intensities of actual nocturnal bird migration as detected by the US weather radar network from sunset to sunrise. Produced by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, these live bird migration radar maps provide birders and scientists with a remarkable insight into ongoing migrations, including an estimate of the total number of birds migrating. BirdCast also provides live local bird migration alerts throughout the continental United States by employing real-time analysis of bird migration as detected by radar. You can use this exciting birding tool to determine whether birds are migrating in your area tonight – or any night – in low, medium, or high densities.

In addition to providing birders with information about local migrations and where and when to go birding, these alerts serve an important conservation need by providing timely information to help determine when to employ effective conservation actions, such as turning off lights when birds are flying at night to avoid attracting them toward artificial light and potentially fatal collisions with buildings, windows, and other structures.

For more information about BirdCast and live radar tracking of bird migration across the continental United States, see https://birdcast.info/migration-tools/live-migration-maps/ and https://birdcast.info/