Flyway or the highway: Saskatchewan’s birds wing it south

By Cameron Koch

Every year, during the tail end of summer, it is hard to not notice the tremendous amount of activity in the skies above Saskatchewan as thousands of birds begin their annual pilgrimage from their summer habitats, heading south to more favourable winter climates.

Kristin Martin, conservation science and planning manager with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, explained more about the yearly phenomenon.

“We are on what is called the ‘central flyway.’ It’s an inland path that birds follow, because we are right in the middle of the continent. There are other migratory flyways along the west coast and the east coast, but we are right in the centre of that central flyway.”

Saskatchewan being in the middle of a major migratory route for birds is no coincidence. The region is dotted by countless wetlands and shallow lakes, making it an attractive location for numerous species to stop during their long journey.

When do the migrations begin?

The timing of the migrations depends on the specific locations chosen by the birds, with most leaving their summer habitats well ahead of the winter chill. Typically, the peak is in the early parts of fall, but Martin noted that some birds begin their travels much earlier.

“Shorebirds, who breed in the Arctic, start moving through as early as August, and now we are starting to see things like the warblers and sparrows that breed in the boreal forest start to make their way south.”

The mass exodus of the smaller bird species quickly gives way to the larger and more well-known birds as the season progresses.

“We’re just gearing up for those big waves of waterfowl like ducks, and the huge flocks of geese to start moving though as well pretty soon.”

Canadian geese depart the northern portions of their range in the latter half of September and can be seen in enormous flocks in countless wetland locations in the province.

What brings birds so far north?

Despite the huge energy expenditure needed to make the round trip, the simple answer is food. Spring and summer in the northern regions of Canada create a bounty that many birds simply cannot resist.

Insectivorous bird species in particular flock to these regions to take advantage of the short season in which insects are active.

These short seasons lead to concentrated and highly productive environments, which are ideal for birds rearing their young. Included in the species that use Canada’s north as a breeding ground are numerous varieties of loon, duck, and sparrow, as well as estimated one third of the Canada Goose population.

Where are they headed?

Once the bounty has been exhausted and the climate begins to turn, birds do what many of us humans would like to do: escape the inevitable chill of a Canadian winter. With some, but not all, making a surprisingly long journey to their winter homes.

“It’s really interesting, and it depends on the species. For something like the Canada goose or the American robin that we are all familiar with, a lot of them are going just south of the border. They’re found throughout the United States for the winter. They’re not going too far from Saskatchewan – maybe just a couple hundred kilometres,” Martin said.

“You get species like some of the shorebirds, and even some of the tiny warblers, that actually go as far south as Mexico and Central America. They are travelling thousands of kilometres.”

The journeys are particularly impressive when the size of the warblers is considered, with some varieties of the songbirds having a wingspan averaging less than 22 centimetres and an average weight of just nine to 13 grams.

What can humans do to help? 

“The conservation of habitat is obviously really important,” Martin said. “During a time like migration, those wetlands and the little pockets of habitat you see out in the landscape are important places for those birds that are making those big journeys to stop over at, rest and refuel as they gear up for the next leg of their journey.”

Not everyone has a patch of wetland they can personally watch over and preserve, but Martin outlined a few other things that can be done to assist the birds as they make their journey:

“Providing habitat in your yard, (such as) trees and shrubs can offer places for shelter and habitat for insects that the birds are eating,” Martin said.

“If you have a bird feeder, keeping it stocked with seeds during fall migration can be really important, not only for kind of attracting the birds, but also making sure that they have some food sources to fuel up on, particularly if they’re running into these cold snaps or storms that they may be encountering during their long migration.”

Where are these birds stopping in the Moose Jaw area? 

Now we know where these birds are headed and why, Martin shared some of the best places in the Moose Jaw area where they can be seen during their migrations.

“There are lots of good places in and around Moose Jaw. If you’re looking for places to see birds during migration, Wakamow Valley is really great for seeing things like warblers and sparrows,” Martin said.

“If you’re looking leave the city a bit, Buffalo Pound and even some of the shallow lakes in the area like Chaplin Lake and Reed Lake tend to be really good sites for seeing shore birds and waterfowl in the fall. There’s lots of good places around Moose Jaw if you’re looking to get out and see what you can see as they’re passing through.”

She explained that shallow lakes, ponds and wetlands (which Moose Jaw is surrounded by) are hotspots for migratory birds. They are crucial stopover locations filled with insects and other invertebrates that are common food sources for many species of migratory birds.

With that in mind, all that remains is to get outside and witness these avian travelers as they embark on an incredible journey.