Welcome home, birds!

More than 430 bird species have been seen in Iowa, but not all of those are regularly found in the state. Some raise their babies here, some are only in Iowa during the winter, some just visited (maybe by accident!), and some use Iowa as a rest stop on their way to another place.

Many birds migrate to warmer or cooler places as the seasons change — not just to stay comfortable, but to find enough food. Imagine you are a bird that only ate fruit or only ate insects. How far would you have to fly to find enough food to last the whole winter?

Each spring brings back birds we haven’t seen since they left Iowa last fall. April – May is a great time to watch your backyard, your favorite park or the playground at school for the return of our feathered friends.

Red-winged blackbird

Male red-winged blackbirds are easy to spot because of the beautiful red spot on their wings. Red-winged blackbirds might not have to migrate very far because they can eat a lot of different foods, but some will fly all the way up to Canada or all the way down to Mexico at different times of year. They are often one of the first birds to show up in early spring, traveling in BIG flocks — up to several million birds! Look for them on fenceposts and telephone wires while you’re in the car and listen for their loud “conk-a-lee!!!” song.

 

 

Baltimore oriole
Male Baltimore orioles have black heads and wings with chests as orange as pumpkins. In the fall, Baltimore orioles migrate in flocks to warmer areas, going as far south as central and south America. They come back to Iowa in early May and are easy to spot before the trees grow leaves. They love fruit and nectar and will come to feeders that offer grape jelly (buy ones without high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners) or oranges.

 

 

 

 

 

Ruby-throated hummingbird

Ruby-throated hummingbirds have iridescent green feathers on their backs and wings. The males also have red feathers right under their beaks. Ruby-throated hummingbirds mostly eat nectar from flowers but are also able to catch small insects in the air! Just like orioles, hummingbirds are easily attracted to feeders. Mix up your own nectar solution — don’t add any red dye. They get here around the same time the orioles do. You can track their migration progress on this map!

 

 

There are many other birds moving through the skies right now. You can help them have a safe journey by turning off outdoor lights at night, keeping your cat indoors and using special tape or paint on your windows to help birds not run into them. See more ways you can help birds.

Curious how many birds are on the move right now (and which species might be flying overhead while you sleep)? View a bird migration forecast for some helpful hints and get outside!  

 

Photos of red-winged blackbird and ruby-throated hummingbird by Larry Reis. Photo of Baltimore oriole by Bruce Morrison.