Killdeer and migration - reducing risk for migrating birds.

Killdeer I photographed in Esquimalt Lagoon, 2025

Canadian winters are not for the faint of heart.  Many of us northern folk head south to warmer latitudes, which used to be the United States, but it seems that the killdeer had the right idea all along; skip the US and head further south to Mexico or Central America.  I noticed some migrate to the tip of Florida and stay there, believing that the end of the road has come.  They could be forgiven for not realizing that, should they proceed further south, another landmass awaits.

Killdeer range map, from the website Allaboutbirds.org

Migrating means flying long distances with few breaks and being exposed to more risk.  Natural threats include harsh weather, predators, exhaustion, and getting lost where no water or food is available.  Add to that all the human vectors of death, such as cruise ships, wind turbines, city lights, tall buildings, and all the chemical threats that exist, and you have a true obstacle course where the losers face death.

There are things that can be done to mitigate human-related risks.  Turn lights out during migration (a big problem for cities and cruise ships), paint one of the three blades on wind turbines black (click here), reduce the use of pesticides and other chemicals, allow migrating birds access to fields instead of scaring them off with noise or visual deterrents, and plant native trees that provide food for birds along their routes.  If you want to read more, go to this website.

The number of birds that die each year during migration is staggering.  We're not talking hundreds, thousands, or even millions.  Tens or even hundreds of millions of birds die each year during migration; many of the deaths are preventable.  No wonder why the planet's bird population keeps declining.

We can do something.  The killdeer would appreciate it.  In fact, all the birds would.

Thanks for reading.

Eric Svendsen     www.ericspix.com