Many species of birds migrate, meaning they travel hundreds or thousands of miles annually in search of food and nesting habitat. Some birds may only travel a few hundred miles to find the habitat they need, while others may travel as far as 10,000 miles (http://nationalzoo.si.edu/scbi/migratorybirds/fact_sheets/default.cfm?id=4).
Where you are now standing is part of the Mississippi River Flyway, one of four primary migration routes for birds traveling through North America. Half of all North American bird species and 40% of all North American waterfowl spend part of their lives on the Mississippi River Flyway, which totals 3,000 miles. Each year, more than 250 different bird species use the Mississippi River Flyway (http://conservation.audubon.org/mississippi-flyway).
What makes an appropriate flyway? Birds need safe places to rest and refuel during migration. Songbirds find safety in the treetops, while waterfowl prefer to rest in lakes and rivers. Seasonally abundant food must also be readily available to keep birds nourished for their journey. The Urban Bird Treaty is an effort to conserve migrating birds that live in and travel through urban areas. Education and habitat improvement are needed to help conserve migratory birds (http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/Partnerships/UrbanTreaty/Urban%20Bird%20Treaty%20Handbook.pdf). There are twenty-seven species of birds that receive more intensive conservation efforts from Audubon scientists within the Mississippi River Flyway (http://conservation.audubon.org/mississippi-flyway-priority-birds). In order to protect birds from manmade threats, Midwestern cities along the Mississippi Flyway turn off unnecessary lights to make nighttimes skies bird-friendly (http://conservation.audubon.org/creating-bird-friendly-communities).