Spring is in the air. It is a time of rejuvenation and renewal of Nature. Green stems push their way up from the soil and leaves unfold from the buds. Flowers begin to blossom in a kaleidoscope of shapes and colors. Animals are frolicking, buzzing, flying, flitting, nesting, egg laying, hatching, singing, chattering, chipping, flirting and mating. These are all signs of Spring.

Spring is a very important time for birds. This is the time of year that the males become brighter in color and try to impress the female to pick “him” to be his mate. Spring is the breeding season for most birds and hormones will trigger certain behaviors and changes in birds including plumage, egg laying, singing, territorialism, and courtship.

A perfect example of these behaviors and changes are displayed by the Northern Cardinal. The male can be heard calling and singing throughout the breeding season desperately trying to attract a mate. Other examples include the White-winged Dove calling and pumping its tail up and down, the handsome House Finch with his brilliant red, orange or yellow plumage. Warblers will be dressed in their bright yellow, blue, green, orange, rufous, and or red attire contrasted by black, gray and white plumage. Warblers are known as the crown jewels of the avian world. More about them on another blog.

Some bird species are known to be dimorphic such as the Northern Cardinal which means that the male and female appear as two distinct forms in the same species. The male is red with a black bib and the female is a drab brown. She has to blend in with the habitat so she is not conspicuous to predators while she lays eggs and sits in the nest. Birds with the same appearance exhibiting one form in both male and female are known to be monomorphic. Examples of this type are the Blue Jay, Northern Mockingbird and the Red-shouldered Hawk. In both cases, the male and female will work together to bring another generation of their species into the world successfully.

Another sign of Spring is the arrival or passing through of migratory birds in a given area. This is a very exciting time for birders because it is a chance to see certain birds as they travel from their wintering grounds to their breeding grounds. It is a crucial time for them and not all migratory birds will complete their destination. The biggest obstacle responsible for thousands of bird deaths per year is the outdoor cat. Yes, even the sweetest, little kitty has the instinct of a wild tiger and will think nothing of catching and killing a bird. I won’t go into this topic any further on this blog.

Migratory Bird Day is officially celebrated on the second Saturday of May. This year it falls on May 11th. San Antonio will be recognizing and celebrating Migratory Bird Day on March 23rd this year due to the extreme heat in May. It will be held at Mitchell Lake Audubon Center from 9:00 to 1:00 and is free to the public. There will be plenty of activities offered including many vendors, food trucks, and tours. I will be at the Bexar Audubon booth so drop by and say Hi.

Migratory birds and other birds are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). Basically, it is a law that protects the birds from the impacts of people. There are stiff penalties for those who break the law. The law can be quite complex and recently very political. Please research this law to find out what birds are protected, what practices are implemented, and the interpretation of the law. This law has saved many millions of birds since 1918.

As I am writing this blog outside on my T-house, I just heard the Couch’s Kingbird calling for the first time this spring season. The call sounds like a coil being sprung. He must have just arrived from his wintering grounds in southern Mexico and Central America. Now that he is here, he will start calling and singing to find a mate and start setting up house. I will enjoy his company this lovely spring season as he tends to his family until he migrates south in the Fall.

There will be more to come on bird migration in future blogs. Stay tuned!!