North American Migration Count

North American Migration Count
Name	North American Migration Count
Status	Active
Frequency	Annual
Country	United States; Canada; Mexico
Established	1990s
Participants	Birdwatchers; Ornithological societies

North American Migration Count

The North American Migration Count is an annual citizen-science bird census conducted across United States, Canada, and Mexico that documents migratory movements of songbirds, shorebirds, and raptors during spring and fall. Organized by networks of Audubon Society, National Audubon Society, and regional organizations such as Cornell Lab of Ornithology affiliates, the Count complements long-term programs like the Christmas Bird Count and the Breeding Bird Survey. Results inform managers at agencies such as the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and conservation NGOs including BirdLife International and National Wildlife Federation.

Overview

The Count aggregates observations from volunteer counters across flyways including the Atlantic Flyway, Mississippi Flyway, Central Flyway, and Pacific Flyway to quantify passage timing, abundance, and species composition. Coordinating institutions such as the American Birding Association and regional chapters of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society provide protocols, training, and outreach. Data are used alongside monitoring efforts like the eBird platform, the North American Breeding Bird Survey, and the Marsh Monitoring Program to produce continental-scale migration indicators.

History and development

The initiative traces origins to local migration watches hosted by groups including the Massachusetts Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, and university programs at Cornell University and University of British Columbia. Early pilot projects in the 1990s involved partners such as the Smithsonian Institution and the National Geographic Society and drew on methodological advances from the Christmas Bird Count begun in the early 20th century. Funding and support have come intermittently from sources like the National Science Foundation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and private foundations such as the Packard Foundation and MacArthur Foundation.

Methodology

Survey protocols integrate standardized point counts, transect counts, and watch-counts at migratory bottlenecks such as Point Pelee National Park, Cape May, Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, and Point Reyes National Seashore. Observers follow sampling frameworks developed in collaboration with researchers at Cornell Lab of Ornithology and statistics groups at institutions like University of Minnesota and University of Michigan. Weather data from National Weather Service stations and radar products from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are incorporated to adjust detection probabilities and account for nocturnal migration monitored by the NEXRAD radar network.

Participation and organization

Volunteer involvement is coordinated through partner organizations including local chapters of the Audubon Society, the American Birding Association, university bird clubs at University of California, Berkeley and McGill University, and regional conservation districts. Training workshops are delivered by experts affiliated with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, Manomet, and museums such as the American Museum of Natural History and Royal Ontario Museum. Funding partnerships involve agencies like Parks Canada and philanthropic donors including the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

Data collection and analysis

Observers submit species counts, effort metrics, and geographic metadata to centralized databases managed by partners including Cornell Lab of Ornithology and regional data centers connected to the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Analytical teams at institutions such as Duke University, University of British Columbia, and USGS apply hierarchical models, occupancy frameworks, and time-series analyses to estimate migration phenology and abundance trends. Outputs are compared with satellite products from NASA and climate indices such as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation to assess drivers of interannual variation.

Results and trends

Analyses reveal shifts in migration timing, with earlier spring passage documented for many taxa that include species monitored by the Count, echoing patterns reported in studies from Cornell Lab of Ornithology and publications appearing in journals like The Auk and Condor. Declines in long-distance migrants such as some wood warblers and shorebirds align with trends reported by the North American Breeding Bird Survey and Partners in Flight, while increases in generalist species mirror observations from urban studies at places like Chicago and New York City. Regional hotspots such as Monomoy and Point Pelee frequently show pronounced year-to-year variability linked to storm events documented by the National Hurricane Center.

Impact and conservation implications

Results inform conservation planning by agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Environment and Climate Change Canada and guide actions by NGOs including BirdLife International and Audubon Society chapters to prioritize habitat protection in Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas designated by BirdLife International. Data feed into policy discussions around migratory bird treaties such as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and support habitat restoration projects funded through partnerships with The Nature Conservancy and governmental programs at Parks Canada and state wildlife agencies. The Count also enhances public engagement in biodiversity monitoring through collaboration with media outlets like National Geographic and outreach initiatives at institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution.

Category:Ornithology