International Migratory Bird Day
2008
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
Migratory birds need at least 3 kinds of habitat.
• Breeding: Places to nest
• Non-breeding: Where birds
spend their time after nesting
• Stop-over: Resting and refueling
places during migration
How Picky are Birds?
• Generalists use different habitats.
• Specialists depend on a few,
even just one habitat.
or
American Robin uses
forests, tundra, parks, &
backyards.
Black-capped Vireo depends on
scrubland habitat.
Habitats Across the Americas
Tundra
Boreal Forest
Riparian/Wetland
Grasslands
Coastal
Tropical Forest
Tundra
• Almost treeless
terrain
• Frozen soil
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Who Lives in Tundra?
Long-tailed Jaeger
Forages in ocean
When I’m nesting,
I switch from fish
to voles….yum!
Nests in Arctic tundra
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
It’s a long way from South
America - where I hang out
in the winter - to the U.S.
Nests on the ground
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
I especially like nectar
and feed from as many
as 50 different kinds
of flowers.
©Anthony Jeremiah
Shares habitat with
migratory birds
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