Radar and Migratory Birds

USGS Fact Sheet: Using Radar to Understand Migratory Birds and Their Habitats: Critical Needs for the Gulf of Mexico
USGS Fact Sheet: Using Radar to Understand Migratory Birds and Their Habitats: Critical Needs for the Gulf of Mexico

"Nearly all Neotropical migratory landbird species of the eastern United States as well as many western species use Louisiana and the northern Gulf of Mexico coast during the transcontinental migrations each spring and fall. Radar has determined that hundreds of millions of birds make the nocturnal crossing of the Gulf of Mexico resulting in daily flights of as many as 2.5 million individuals stopping in Louisiana to feed and rest," according to the USGS Fact Sheet Using Radar to Understand Migratory Birds and Their Habitats: Critical Needs for the Gulf of Mexico.

Biological Applications of Radar Technologies: Migratory Birds

Doppler radar image of migratory birds on the Gulf Coast
Doppler radar image of migratory birds on the Gulf Coast [Image courtesy of USGS, National Wetlands Research Center]

Doppler weather radar capabilities and its increased accessibility have presented new opportunities for bird research. In 2004, high resolution (Level II: 8 to 10 times greater precision) data became more readily available to the scientific community. Whereas radar technology has been used for decades to describe bird movements, much of the radar data applications used in bird research have relied on lower resolution data (referred to as Level III data). More than 150 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather radar stations across the United States are collecting echoes 24 hours per day 7 days per week to create massive databases that require complex analyses.

Nearly all eastern migratory songbird species as well as many western species use Louisiana and the northern Gulf of Mexico coast during their transcontinental migrations each spring and fall. Radar has determined that hundreds of millions of birds make the crossing of the Gulf of Mexico resulting in daily flights with as many as 2.5 million individuals stopping in Louisiana to feed and rest. Researchers along the gulf coast are converting high resolution radar data into a form usable for subsequent analyses and are georeferencing it for GIS applications. A related project is designed to determine the broad habitat preferences of wintering waterfowl in southwest Louisiana.


Radar Technology Resources for Migratory Birds
Search 13 Results Within Radar Technology Resources for Migratory Birds
Showing 13 of 13
1.
Advancing Migratory Bird Conservation and Management by Using Radar: An Interagency Collaboration
This U.S.Geological Survey Open-File Report 2005-1173 explains how using radar enhance efforts can advance bird conservation and management and the biological applications of radar technologies. It also explains the nature of the interagency...
2.
Avian Use of Norris Hill Wind Resource Area, Montana (PDF)
The use of marine surveillance radars resulted in the improved detectability of avian movements in and near the Norris Hill Wind Resource Area (NHWRA). This report includes data on use of the NHWRA and vicinity by migratory birds, breeding and local...
3.
Biological Applications of Radar Technologies: Migratory Birds
Doppler weather radar capabilities and its increased accessibility have presented new opportunities for bird research. In 2004, high resolution (Level II: 8 to 10 times greater precision) data became more readily available to the scientific community....
4.
Migratory Bird Pathways and the Gulf of Mexico
This U. S. Geological Survey National Wetlands Research Center Fact Sheet 2005-3069 is about the importance of Louisiana’s coastal habitats on the Nearctic-Neotropical bird migration system. It includes a map of migration paths, opportunities for...
5.
NEXRAD: Eye to the Sky
From the site: "This video provides information on NEXRAD (next generation weather radar) and the Radar Operations Center (ROC) in Norman, Oklahoma. Animation demonstrates how radar works by sending a radio signal to a target. The film shows how users...
6.
Radar Ecology
The U.S. Geological Service National Wetlands Research Center's Radar Ecology page explains how use of Doppler radar is "revolutionizing wildlife research and management." There are links to additional information about using radar to study migratory...
7.
Radar Ornithology Introduction
"Radar, . . . [is] a powerful tool for detecting density, location and direction and speed of movement of biological targets such as birds, insects and bats. This tutorial discusses . . . how NEXRAD WSR-88D radar works and how to interpret radar...
8.
Radar Ornithology and Bird Conservation
This page displays a reprint of the article, "Radar Ornithology and Bird Conservation," by Dr. Sidney A. Gauthreaux, Jr., which appeared in the Spring 2002 GCBO newsletter under the title "Radar Ornithology and the Conservation of Migratory Birds." In...
9.
Spring Bird Migration Across the Florida Keys
This Web site, Spring Bird Migration Across the Florida Keys, explains how the NWS Weather Surveillance Radar-1988 Doppler (WSR-88D) is used in Key West, Florida to "detect the location and movement of . . . birds." It includes a Doppler radar image...
10.
Using Doppler Radar to Save Songbirds
The Nature Conservancy, 4245 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA22203-1606

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