Neotropical Migrant Bird Field Guide

Most of our birds take two long journeys every year to follow food and favorable climate: one in the fall to the south, and the other in the spring back to their breeding/nesting grounds in the north. These journeys are called migrations. In general, species will flock together and travel as a group. Migrations may take place by day or by the safety of night. Many follow regular routes using rivers, the coastline, the constellations, or the sun to navigate.

The birds that don't migrate, the permanent residents, are the ones that can live on "local winter foods" like seeds and winter berries.

Neotropical migrants are actually considered to be residents of the tropics in south and Central America. They only nest and breed in the north during the spring and summer. But, if birds were required to have birth certificates, it would indicate North American citizenship because that's where they were hatched.

The earth view is color-coded red to show the general summer habitats and powder blue to show the winter habitats of the featured birds.

NeotropicalBirds.org works towards conserving critical habitat for bird migration routes and residencies through education, birdscaping and land purchases. It is operated by Trust for Wildlife, Inc., a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization.

Range Map: (The months spent in North America are in parenthesis) Most of our birds take two long journeys every year to follow food and favorable climate: one in the fall to the south, and the other in the spring back to their breeding/nesting grounds in the north. These journeys are called migrations. In general, species will flock together and travel as a group. Migrations may take place by day or by the safety of night. Many follow regular routes using rivers, the coastline, the constellations, or the sun to navigate. The birds that don't migrate, the permanent residents, are the ones that can live on "local winter foods" like seeds and winter berries. Neotropical migrants are actually considered to be residents of the tropics in south and Central America. They only nest and breed in the north during the spring and summer. But, if birds were required to have birth certificates, it would indicate North American citizenship because that's where they were hatched. The earth view is color-coded red to show the general summer habitats and powder blue to show the winter habitats of the featured birds. NeotropicalBirds.org works towards conserving critical habitat for bird migration routes and residencies through education, birdscaping and land purchases. It is operated by Trust for Wildlife, Inc., a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization.