Download Parks Plus! Fall 2013 (PDF - Lake Metroparks

Fall migration
Natural areas near the shore of Lake Erie provide beneficial stopover sites
by Tom Koritansky, Natural Resource Manager & John Pogacnik, Biologist
With fall approaching in northeast Ohio,
another migration season will soon be upon us.
Birds migrate in order to be near an abundant food
supply, escape from cold temperatures and to find
ideal breeding habitats. Not all birds migrate, but
the ones that do often travel impressive distances of
hundreds and up to thousands of miles twice a year!
Our summer avian residents have had a busy season
building nests and raising their young, but now that
the last broods have fledged, it’s time for them to
prepare to make the long journey south for the winter.
Migration is a very demanding task for birds. To
complete those great journeys, birds must spend
more time foraging as fall approaches in order
to build their fat reserves so they can travel long
distances. As the end of the growing season draws
near, many birds will form into large flocks, which
makes avoiding predators and finding places to forage
easier in large numbers. Herbivorous birds, which are
those that feed primarily on plant materials, will find
seeds and fruits in plentiful supply as they prepare to
migrate from northeast Ohio. Warblers, such as the
Yellow-rumped and Blackpoll, may be found feeding
on the ripened fruits of dogwoods, grape vines and
poison ivy. Insect-eating birds, such as swallows and
flycatchers, will also enjoy a generous feast from the
remaining invertebrate bounty including mosquitoes,
gnats and midges still active as days become shorter
and temperatures cool.
Birds en route to points south travel along migration
paths called flyways. Rather than a confined travel
route, a flyway is a broad area where birds tend to
fly. Noticeable geographic features such as bodies
of water, coastlines and mountains are often
incorporated into flyways. Birds use these features
as navigation aids in addition to their instinctive
and remarkable abilities to sense direction. A
preferred flyway will also feature sites for birds to
rest and refuel along their journeys. These places are
sometimes called stopover sites, and they often have
an abundant food supply, some cover for safety, and
a source of water.
Many types of migrating birds including waterfowl,
shorebirds, songbirds and raptors use Lake Erie in some
manner during their migrations. The large expanse of
open water acts as a barrier that funnels migrants near
the shore. Lake Erie also functions as a navigation
guide where birds route themselves using the shoreline
since they tend to travel along the lake rather than
across it. As a result, Lake County’s Lake Erie shoreline
is situated along bird migration routes that largely
contribute to the greater Atlantic Flyway. Red-breasted
Mergansers (a large diving duck), use Lake Erie as
an important staging area during their migration.
Observers have spotted up to 250,000 mergansers in
one area in one day!
Natural areas near the shore of Lake Erie provide
beneficial stopover sites to both our summer residents
preparing to migrate (such as the Yellow Warbler and
Gray Catbird) and passersby (including Bonaparte’s Gull
and White-throated Sparrow) that stake their claims in
places farther north for the summer. Lake Metroparks
operates six parks (Arcola Creek Park in Madison
Township, Lakeshore Reservation in North Perry
Village, Lake Erie Bluffs in Perry Township, Painesville
Township Park in Painesville Township, Fairport Harbor
Lakefront Park in Fairport Harbor and Lakefront Lodge
in Willowick) on the Lake Erie shore—all complete with
the essential elements of stopover habitats.
Lake Metroparks’ Lake Erie Bluffs in Perry Township
is a fine example of a migratory bird stopover site.
Grasses and flowering plants such as Timothy and
goldenrod along with smaller trees including dogwood,
sumac and wild crabapple provide birds with a plentiful
food supply and enough cover so they can
remain concealed during their stay.
The ideal habitat at Lake Erie Bluffs
is attractive to both migrating birds
and year-round residents. If you’re
planning a visit to Lake Erie Bluffs
this fall, be sure to bring a pair
of binoculars and look for these
birds that will soon be on their way
south for the winter.
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