Swainson’s hawk. Photo credit: Utah DWR
Audubon scientists develop new method to improve mapping of bird migrations
Posted June 1, 2022
“More than forty scientists from the National Audubon Society and other leading bird and wildlife research and conservation groups, [including the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources,] published a new study modeling a novel approach to mapping seasonal migration pathways for birds… This new method is a powerful advancement for migratory bird conservation at a time when many species are dramatically declining.
“‘Migratory birds complete some of the most impressive journeys on earth, and this new method of mapping their migrations gives us a clearer picture of the places these birds travel,’ said Dr. Tim Meehan, quantitative ecologist for the National Audubon Society and primary author of the study…
“This unique information about migratory pathways will allow conservationists across the hemisphere to more effectively protect and restore the habitats that these birds depend on throughout their full annual cycle.”
(Special thanks to the Salt Lake City International Airport, Tracy Aviary, Westminster College’s Great Salt Lake Institute and the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem Program for their contributions to this study.)