Blackpoll Warbler

Bird Migration Fallout

Tropical Storm Helene is on track to become a major hurricane which likely will impact much of the southeastern United States. 

Birds have no ability to forecast bad weather, so migrating birds encountering poor conditions need to take quick action to avoid being injured or blown off course, and their rapid descent to find shelter is called a fallout. After Hurricane Nicole in October 2016, researchers on Bermuda documented a significant Blackpoll Warbler fallout. Individual birds which might normally have flown past Bermuda on their trip south instead took refuge on this small speck of land in the Atlantic (here's a great visualization of typical Blackpoll migration routes).

Fallout events provide a rare chance for birdwatchers to see unusual birds that made a storm-caused stopover nearby (this paper describes describes 2011 storm-related bird observations). Stay safe and remember to give any exhausted birds the time and space to recover. 

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