Students in Washington DC Help Protect Migratory Bird Habitat

Billions of birds head north out of Central and South America making epic journeys to find safety and refuge in the Arctic and Boreal Forest of Canada each year. Other species traveling north don’t travel quite as far, taking up residence in forests, meadows, backyards, and parks across the US during the warmer months. Regardless of their final destination, these migratory birds make epic trips across the hemisphere, stopping at critical locations along the way. 

Birds like the Canada Warbler travel from their homes in South America up through Central America and the United States before reaching the Boreal Forest of Canada where they will breed and raise their young. This little warbler is often the last bird to arrive in the Boreal each year and one of the first species to leave. Traveling mostly by night, they stop to feed and rest during the day in forested habits that offer an abundance of flies, mosquitoes, moths, and beetles. Each stop is a critical part of their journey allowing them to fuel up and recharge before moving further along their migratory path.    

These migration stories remind us of a connection we have to faraway places. It starts when we see or hear a bird in our backyard or at a local park. We then stop to listen and appreciate its beauty. As we do, we realize that the very same bird has likely been seen and admired by people in many countries, cities, and towns across the Western hemisphere during its long journey—and BAM! just like that, we have a connection to those people in Canada, Chile, Colombia, Panama, or Mexico. 

Students at Sacred Heart School in Washington DC are helping to protect important habitat for birds, while learning about migration and making their own connections to far away places where their families are from. This video shares their story.