Landbird migration along the Middle Rio Grande: Summary of banding data from spring and fall 1994

Abstract

Northbound and southbound movement along major waterways is characteristic of migratory birds nesting in North America. It is likely that river corridors are more important to migrating birds in arid parts of North America than in humid, more heavily vegetated areas (Wauer 1977). Although quantitative analyses of landbird migration along the Rio Grande corridor are not reported in the literatUre, the use of the Rio Grande as a migratory route by landbirds is a wellrecognized behavior of southwestern birds. The riparian habitats along the Rio Grande are potential stopover sites for migratory landbirds that use the Great Plains-Rocky Mountain "flight route" (Ligon 1961, Lincoln 1979). In central New Mexico, hot desert conditions prevail during a good portion of the spring and fall migration (personal observation). The availability of food, water, cover, and suitable north-south routing along the river may be critically important and strongly influential in directing migration of landbirds (Ligon 1961, Stevens et al. 1977, Wauer 1977, Finch 1991).

Citation

Yong, Wang; Finch, Deborah M.; Cox, Steve W. 1995. Landbird migration along the Middle Rio Grande: Summary of banding data from spring and fall 1994. NMOS Bulletin. 23(6): 64-77.