How do birds know when to migrate?

Many American robins migrate from the north to sunny, warm winter havens, and then return in the spring. that helps to explain how birds fly in such impressive formations. ... Birds in V formation seem to have developed complex phasing strategies to cope with the dynamic wakes (turbulent air) produced by flapping wings." read more

While not all robins migrate, in regions with cold winters, many numbers of the familiar avian species migrate to places such as sunny Florida and Texas for a few months and then head back north when spring returns to select a breeding territory and mate. read more

Coming back to migration timing, all these factors do prompt the birds to migrate, but they are not the ones that trigger the migration, i. e. prompt them to begin their journey. This is made evident by the fact that these birds start their migratory preparations well in advance. read more

By knowing where birds are and when, important conservation decisions can be made, such as placement of wind turbines and reducing building lights on specific high-migration nights, to prevent the deaths of millions of birds. read more