Central Texas' March bird forecast

Travis Audubon shares an update on what to look for in our Central Texas skies in the month of March.

Bird Forecast

What to watch for in March:  Migration – the early days

Here is the Central Texas bird forecast for the month, courtesy of Travis Audubon. Learn more about Central Texas birds and bird-related events for all ages at travisaudubon.org or by calling 512-300-BIRD. Follow us at www.facebook.com/travisaudubon

Many different species of birds will pass through Austin under the radar during March, with some American White Pelicans, Snow Geese, Sandhill Cranes and ducks getting a head start during February. If you want to learn more about the wonders of migration, check the bird forecast called BirdCast. It has several migration tools to help you tune into the natural world from March 1 through June 15, when the bulk of spring migration takes place. You can see how many birds are forecast to fly over Travis County on a given night, get some sense of what species are on the move based on historical data, and explore live nocturnal migration maps, which show the intensity of migration locally and nationally. It will give you a better appreciation for Travis Audubon’s and National Audubon’s Lights Out campaign to help birds migrate safely. Travis Audubon’s website states: “Did you know most birds migrate at night? They often use the moon, stars, and sun to navigate. Light pollution can interfere with these signals and cause a serious problem for birds: they might be thrown off course or become so disoriented that they circle until they fall to exhaustion or collide with buildings. You can help with just a flick of a switch – plus, you’ll save money on energy costs!”

Two species that are very much on people’s radar during March are charismatic hummingbirds. Both Ruby-throated and Black-chinned Hummingbirds start arriving in March, typically during the second week in March for Black-chinned and two weeks later for Ruby-throats. Most likely, the early birds will stay and breed. Later arrivals are just passing through. Hungry hummers will be on the lookout for early-blooming native plants like Cedar Sage and Tropical Sage, Salvia roemeriana and Salvia coccinea, respectively. Coral Honeysuckle, Lonicera sempervirens, is a native vine that, once established, will attract hummingbirds year after year. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center has a suggested hummingbird plant list, as does Travis Audubon.

If the plants the hummingbirds rely on are unavailable, a hummingbird feeder is a welcome sight. The main thing to remember with any bird feeding is to first “do no harm.” With hummingbird feeders, use the proper dilution of water to sugar, which is 1 cup water to ¼ cup white granulated cane (table) sugar (Don’t use honey, artificial sweeteners, agave syrup, or brown sugar, etc. - just use white granulated sugar!). Do not add artificial food color, as the red color of feeders is enough. In fact, naturally occurring nectar is clear. Be sure to discard nectar after two to three days max and wash the feeder before refilling. If you find any sign of mold/fungus or the solution turns cloudy, you’ve left the feeder out too long. Hummingbirds ingesting mold can die from swollen tongues that prevent feeding. If you can’t take the time to keep up with feeder maintenance, plant native plants instead. Learn more about feeding hummingbirds here.

Did you know that hummingbirds can’t live on nectar alone? They need protein, and they get that from small insects and spiders. Recent research by Dr. Austin Spence at the University of California, Davis analyzed the DNA of hummingbird poop and found that three U.S. hummingbird species eat at least 127 different species of invertebrates! You might observe Black-chinned and Ruby-throated hummers flying about in the tree canopy, where they are adept at catching insects, with mouths wide open. They also glean insects and spiders by pulling them from vegetation, crevices and spider webs.

Golden-cheeked Warblers Return

Any day now, some lucky person is going to hear the spring song of the first endangered warbler arriving to nest in the Hill Country. The males usually arrive a little earlier than the females to establish their territories. They will attract them with a buzzy ascending song. Visit Peterson Guide to Bird Sounds to familiarize yourself with the first category song before you go for a walk in the juniper-oak woodlands of western Travis County. You will have a reasonable chance of hearing one, especially in March when they sing a lot and sometimes from an exposed perch. When they have paired up, the males also sing a different second category song, which seems more relaxed. Good places to listen for a Golden-cheeked Warbler include Turkey Creek Trail at Emma Long Metropolitan Park and Warbler Vista on the Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge.

Fickle Weather

March can bring windy conditions and temperature swings, which keep birds and bird watchers on their toes. Strong southerly winds mean it’s time to get outdoors and see what birds are on the move, hitchhiking on favorable winds. Strong north winds can stop birds in their tracks (giving the bird watcher an incentive to look for tired birds that unexpectedly drop in for a brief rest before continuing on.) You can enjoy birds no matter what the weather, so take the opportunity to get outdoors and see some new birds!

Upcoming Travis Audubon Events – Check the events calendar for upcoming events, field trips and classes. Most field trips are free and require reservations. Classes are fee-based.

Compiled by Jane Tillman, Travis Audubon Volunteer