Why don't migratory birds remain in the South permanently?

DEAR GREG: How our Canada geese came to be permanent residents of the area is a really interesting story. During the first ... The hunters clipped the flight feathers on the captured birds and put weights on their legs to keep them from flying off, even when the urge to migrate called to them. read more

George Peer Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. In a word, competition. Like every other species in the world, birds have to compete for the resources to eat, drink, and be reproductive. read more

Birds begin preparation long before beginning migration by fattening up as much as possible. Some birds don’t survive the migration, dying somewhere along the way. Many species of birds have stopovers during migration in which they rest and refuel. read more