Bird Migration Program

Populations of many migratory birds depend not only on places to breed and spend the winter but also on the quality and continued availability of habitats along migration routes. The importance of identifying and protecting these non-breeding habitats has been recognized by conservation organizations throughout the world and represents a formidable international conservation challenge. Due to its geographic position, the mid-Atlantic coastal plain exists as a continental crossroads where large numbers of migrants converge. Each year hundreds of millions of birds migrate along the coastal plain and utilize habitats for refueling. Coastal habitats such as those used by migrants are experiencing some of the highest development pressures of any throughout North America.

The Center for Conservation Biology continues to be a leader in migration research within the mid-Atlantic region. The broad objectives of our research program are to determine 1) the resource and habitat requirements of birds in passage and 2) the role that mid-Atlantic stopover areas play in the lifecycle of migrant species. Ongoing research involves migratory passerines, shorebirds, diurnal raptors, owls, and rails.