International Migratory Bird DayInternational Migratory Bird Day

20082008

What is HABITAT?

• (hab-i-tat) An area where an

animal or plant finds the food,

water, shelter, and living

space it needs to survive.

Birds and Habitat

All birds need habitat to survive!

Food

Water

Shelter

Space

Migratory Birds & Habitat

• Breeding: Places to nest

• Non-breeding: Where birds spend their time after nesting

• Stop-over: Resting and refueling places during migration

Migratory birds need at least 3 kinds of habitat.

How Picky are Birds?

• Generalists use different habitats.

• Specialists depend on a few, or even just one habitat.

American Robin uses forests, tundra, parks, &

backyards.

Black-capped Vireo depends on

scrubland habitat.

Habitats Across the Americas

Tundra

Boreal ForestRiparian/Wetland

Coastal

Grasslands

Tropical Forest

Tundra

• Almost treeless terrain

• Frozen soil

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

Who Lives in Tundra?Long-tailed Jaeger

Forages in ocean Nests in Arctic tundra

When I’m nesting, I switch from fish to

voles….yum!

Boreal Forest

• Spruce, fir, and conifer forests found in Alaska, Canada, and Russia.

Who Lives in Boreal Forest?Blackpoll Warbler

• Builds its nest in spruce trees

• Migrates long distances 8,000 km (4,971mi) from Alaska to Brazil

Riparian

• Vegetation found along bodies of water

Cheat River, West Virginia

Who Lives in Riparian?Northern Shoveler

• Uses wetlands

during breeding, non-breeding, and migration

My bill helps strain food from the water.

Grasslands

• Has grasses on mostly flat terrain

Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge

Who Lives in Grasslands?Bobolink

Nests on the ground

It’s a long way from South America - where I hang out in the

winter - to the U.S.

Coastal

• Where water or land meets the sea

Vieques National Wildlife Refuge, Puerto Rico

La Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Who Lives along the Coast?Ruddy Turnstone

Migrates and spends the winter along coast

Ahh! Tundra is great for nesting!

Tropical Forest

• The tropics form a band around the equator.

The Tropics

Who Lives in Tropical Forests?Bananaquit

©Anthony Jeremiah

Shares habitat with migratory birds

I especially like nectar and feed

from as many as 50 different kinds of

flowers.

Mangrove Forests

• Coastal forests found in the tropics.

• One of the most threatened habitats in the world.

Who Lives in Mangrove Forests?American Redstart

• Uses mangroves when not breeding.

• Spends most of the year in the tropics.

Fast Facts

• Nearly 5,000 bird species depend on the habitats of the Americas.

• The largest threat to birds is loss and degradation of habitat.

What You Can Do

• Create bird habitat on your own property• Buy bird friendly products, such

as shade-grown coffee

• Keep cats indoors

What You Can Do

• Minimize household pollution

• Reduce, reuse, and recycle

• Plant vegetation native to your area

• Take the bus or ride a bike

• Insert your own slides