MIGRATIONWhich way did they go?

Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane

Fast Facts Sandhill Crane

range Fast Facts Type: Bird Diet: Omnivore Average lifespan in the

wild: 20 years Size: Body, 31.5 to 47.2

in (80 to 120 cm); Wingspan, 5 to 6 ft (1.2 to 1.3 m)

Weight: 6.5 to 14 lbs (3 to 6.5 kg)

Sandhill Crane Fast Facts

Sandhills are the most common of all the world's cranes.

They range south to Mexico and Cuba, and as far west as Siberia.

Each winter they undertake long southern journeys to wintering grounds in Florida, Texas, Utah, Mexico, and California.

En route, more than three-fourths of all sandhill cranes use migratory staging areas in a single 75-mile (120-kilometer) stretch along Nebraska's Platte River.

Most sandhill cranes live in freshwater wetlands. They are opportunistic eaters that enjoy plants, grains, mice, snakes, insects, or worms. They often dig in the soil for tubers and can sometimes cause significant crop damage, which brings them into conflict with farmers.

Sandhill Crane Fast Facts

The birds are naturally gray and their heads are topped with a crimson crown. Some cranes preen themselves by adding mud to their feathers and thus taking on a temporary brown hue. This may happen because the birds use their bills to probe for food in muddy wetland soil.

During mating, pairs vocalize in a behavior known as "unison calling." They throw their heads back and unleash a passionate duet—an extended litany of coordinated song. Cranes also dance, run, leap high in the air and otherwise cavort around—not only during mating but all year long.

Sandhill cranes usually nest in wetlands and create a structure from whatever plants may be at hand. Females typically lay two eggs, which both parents incubate. Males take responsibility for defending the nest.

Sandhill Cranes in flight…

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Fast Facts Ruby Throated Hummingbird Range

Type: Bird Diet: Omnivore Average lifespan in the wild:

5 to 9 years Size: 3 to 4 in (7 to 9 cm) Weight: 0.07 to 0.21 oz (2 to

6 g) Did you know? The hum of a

hummingbird is made by the bird’s rapid wing beats, up to 53 beats per second for a ruby-throated hummingbird.

Did you know…

The ruby-throated hummingbird has the smallest number of feathers ever counted on any bird.

Ruby-throated hummingbird have been caught by dragonflies and praying mantises, trapped in spiders' webs, snatched by frogs, and stuck on thistles.

Before migrating, the ruby-throated hummingbird stores a layer of fat equal to half its body weight.

During courtship, the ruby-throated hummingbird's wings beat up to 200 times per second, as opposed to its usual wing beat of 90 times per second.

The hummingbird needs to eat twice its body weight in food everyday.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Sexes apparently migrate separately; older males first to arrive and to depart. In the spring, the earliest females and many of the young males lag behind by 7-10 days. In the fall, males may leave as early as July. Most ruby-throats are gone in the U.S. by the end of September. Some remain in southern Florida through winter.

Spring migration can occur as early as February. Factors such as weather, length of daylight, & fat

accumulation stimulate migration. Some birds may travel 2,000 miles or more from winter homes in Mexico and Central America to their breeding destination in Canada!

Hummingbirds migrate alone, not in flocks!. They fly 500 miles non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico,

able to store enough fat to make this over-water crossing.

Ruby Throated Hummingbird

Monarch Butterfly

Monarch Butterfly

Fast FactsMonarch Butterfly

Range Type: Bug Diet: Herbivore Average lifespan in

the wild: Up to 6 to 8 months

Size: Wingspan 3.7 to 4.1 in (9.4 to 10.5 cm)

Weight: .0095 to .026 oz (.27 to .75 g)

Group name: Flutter

Monarch Butterfly

Monarch butterflies are known for the incredible mass migration that brings millions of them to California and Mexico each winter. North American monarchs are the only butterflies that make such a massive journey—up to 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers). The insects must begin this journey each fall ahead of cold weather, which will kill them if they tarry too long.

Only monarchs born in late summer or early fall make the migration, and they make only one round trip.

Monarch Butterfly

Monarch Butterfly

Butterflies that emerge from chrysalides (pupa state) in late summer and early fall are different from those that do so during the longer days and warmer weather of summer. These monarchs are born to fly, and know because of the changing weather that they must prepare for their lengthy journey.

Monarch Butterfly

Migration… why do it?

Migration takes a huge amount of energy, so why do animals do it?

Most move to places where they can better survive during that season.

Many migrate to find food or more liveable conditions (e.g., daylight, shelter, safety from predators, less overcrowding) for themselves or their young.

When cold weather halts the supply of insects, birds that rely on them head to warmer climates where food is plentiful.

Monarchs spread north in the spring to take advantage of vast areas with emerging milkweed for their young and nectar for themselves.

Credits

National Geographic http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/

Journey North http://www.learner.org/jnorth/