Alerts issued as millions of birds expected to cross Illinois overnight
The annual spring migration of birds is continuing over the United States, and Illinois is expected to see millions of the animals crossing over the state in the coming hours.
According to Birdcast, more than four million birds crossed Illinois Saturday night and into Sunday morning, with an average of 11.2 million birds in flight during the overnight hours.
That trend is expected to continue Sunday night and into Monday morning, with officials expecting “high levels” of migrating birds to take flight over the state.
During the spring migration, an estimated 313 million birds have crossed over Illinois as they journey north to Wisconsin and into Canada, according to Birdcast. The birds will often make stops in Illinois on that journey, providing dazzling shows for birdwatchers across the state.
Several species of warblers, including the Yellow Warbler and Nashville Warbler, are migrating through Illinois on their way northward, along with Baltimore Orioles and several other species, according to Birdcast.
Each year, thousands of birds are killed when they strike buildings and power lines, with experts urging the public to take steps to protect their health safety.
Those steps including turning off all non-essential lights between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., especially in higher-density urban areas. Bright lights can attract and disorient birds as they migrate at night, causing fatal collisions with buildings.
Residents are also asked to leave cats indoors, as the animals tend to be more active at night as they hunt for prey.
According to Birdcast, Illinois is expected to continue seeing millions of migrating birds on Monday and Tuesday nights, with “high levels” of the animals expected to take to the skies both nights.
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