Winter Birds: The Northeast is Actually South for Some Species

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Region

Today we are hearing from Division of Migratory Birds volunteer Lee Halasz.

The Northeastern U.S. experiences large seasonal differences in temperature, and has among the most marked seasonality in the world. The four distinct seasons that we enjoy provide opportunities for a great diversity of bird life to thrive here. Some birds are residents and live in the northeast all year round. Common resident birds include chickadees, northern cardinals, blue jays and house sparrows.

However, most species that occur in the northeast are not residents and only spend a season or two locally. These birds are called migrants and live a good portion of the year somewhere else. For example, in late spring and summer there are a whole range of birds in the northeast that you will not see at other times of the year, such as hummingbirds, swallows, catbirds and warblers. During winter these birds are typically found…

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