WINSTON WEEKLY

October 11, 2026

Vol. 4, No. 41

FEATHERED FLIGHTS[1]

Fall is often a flurry of activity for our feathered friends. From September to late November, changing light, falling leaves, and cooler temperatures signal the need to relocate for the winter. Some birds even change colors as migration begins. Male ducks and male goldfinch become less colorful, with male ducks often changing to a molten brownish gray.

When birds take flight, they travel at speeds from 20 to 50 miles per hour. The bar-tailed godwit of Alaska (and other Arctic zones) travels more than 7,100 miles in nine days, nearly doubling in size before taking flight. Fall plants along with pecans, sunflower kernels, and shelled peanuts are critical food sources for productive migration. As many birds fly at night during migration, it is essential to keep bright lights to a minimum.  

From Monterey Bay, California to Cape May, New Jersey to Duluth, Minnesota and many places in between, a variety of birds can be observed preparing for and taking flight. From egrets and gulls to sooty shearwaters, Monterey Bay is home to more than 300 species of birds. More than 20 species of raptors can be observed at the Hawk Ridge Observatory in Duluth, including the rare peregrine falcon. More than 6,000 bald eagles were observed in 2017, and more than 160,000 broad-winged hawks were reported in 2003.

Despite the massive migration of many birds in the fall, there are several non-migratory birds, including the back-capped chickadee, the downy woodpeckers and the northern cardinal. They adapt to changing conditions by altering food sources and changing some of their daily habits.

THIS WEEK’S ACTIVITY

Put together a list of fun facts about bird migration and explore ways you can keep non-migrating birds healthy during the changing season.

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[1] Winston Weekly is a weekly blog and newsletter by Alysen Bayles of Bayles Connect: “Learn, live, love, read.” Resources: All About Birds, www.allaboutbirds.org; www.harwkridge.org; www.seawithmorgan.com; www.projectwildbirds.net; Stan Tekiela, Bird Migration: The Incredible Journeys of North American Birds, Adventure Publications, Nov. 2018.