The final days of migration season and an influx of diverse birds passing through the Upper Cumberland.
Cordell Hall Birthplace State Park Interpretive Ranger Hannah Zannucci said the birds migrate to get away from the cold and find food options. Zannucci said as resources become less and there are fewer nesting options, the birds move South for the season. Zannucci said people can be on the lookout for visiting birds by listening for bird calls.
“Cardinals and blue jays and crows are permanent residents who we are used to hearing, but a lot of times one of the easiest ways to recognize that it is a migratory bird is, ‘oh hey that’s a bird call that I haven’t heard,’” Zannucci said.
Zannucci said White-Throated Sparrows migrate to the state from areas as far away as Canada. Zannucci said Hermit Thrushes, Brown Creepers, and Winter Wrens also show up around the region. Ruby Crown Kinglets, Yellow Runt Warblers and Dark Eyed Juncos are all birds that we can expect to see this season.
“Yellow-Bellied Sap Suckers, which are the only migratory wood pecker that goes as far South as Panama,” Zannucci said. “And those are fun because they’ll use street signs and other man-made metal objects to peck on, so they’re usually pretty noisy.”
Zannucci said many locals know about Sandhill Cranes. They do not stop in the state, though the migratory pattern of the bird takes them through the state annually.
“They usually are pretty hard to spot, but they have a really distinct call.” Zannucci said. “You’ll usually only be able to hear them”
Zannucci said turning off lights in the home at night is helpful to these birds. Zannucci said the leading cause of death in migrating birds is window collision. The light attracts birds to the windows at night, creating more frequent collisions at night.
Zannucci said decreasing plastic use and planting native plants to increase the insect population promotes the production of resources for the birds.