10/21/2026
Fall bird migration is upon us!
Between August 1 and October 18, 2026, an estimated 634 million birds have crossed over Kentucky during their fall migration journey!
How do we know this? Using statistical models is a critical part of understanding and inferring the mechanisms behind the trends we see in wildlife. To better understand migration movements of birds, researchers have employed the Motus Wildlife Tracking System. The Motus Wildlife Tracking System uses small radio transmitters (nanotags) attached to birds that send signals to nearby, strategically placed Motus towers as they pass by. Data collected from the towers allows researchers to track the direction, timing, and speed of movement of migrating individuals.
The Motus tower at Taylor Fork Ecological Area (TFEA), operated through a partnership between EKU’s Division of Natural Areas and KDFWR, has recorded six recent detections including one Lesser Yellowlegs (𝑇𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑎 𝑓𝑙𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑝𝑒𝑠), one Hermit Thrush (𝐶𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑢𝑠 𝑔𝑢𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑠), one Eastern Whip-poor-will (𝐴𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑢𝑠 𝑣𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑢𝑠), and three Wood Thrush (𝐻𝑦𝑝𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑙𝑎 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑎).
Two of these detections reveal just how far migratory birds travel! A Hermit Thrush detected at TFEA was moving southward from breeding areas in eastern Canada to wintering areas in the southeastern United States. In contrast, a Wood Thrush detected at TFEA was taking a much longer journey, connecting breeding areas in northern Maine with wintering areas in southern Texas.
