Bird Migration Over Houston

Presenter:  Cin-Ty Lee, Rice University

Twice a year, the skies become highways for millions of migrating birds. In spring, birds take flight from their southerly wintering grounds and journey north to take advantage of the plethora of sunlight and food in the summer. As fall approaches and food resources dwindle, they return back to the south. These annual rituals have been going on for millions of years. The journeys have always been long and treacherous, but now, more than ever, there are more dangers because of habitat destruction along their ancient migration paths. The great metropolis of Houston is a critical point in the great mid-continent flyway as the upper Texas coast is where many northbound migrants first make landfall after crossing the Gulf of Mexico and where southbound migrants last stop before heading out across the ocean. This talk will be about migration over Houston, what we have to lose, and what we can do about the future.

Cin-Ty Lee is a professor of geology in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences at Rice University. He studies volcanoes, ore deposits, and birds. His most recent interests are using bioacoustics to monitor the nocturnal migration of birds over Houston and the ecological health of tropical forests. He is the author of the upcoming Field Guide to North American Flycatchers.

Come a little early to socialize.  Doors open at 6:30 pm.  A few announcements will be made at 7:00p, and the presentation will begin immediately afterwards.

Note: The presentation will be presented live via zoom, but there is no promise that the speaker will stay in front of the microphone the whole time.  If you want to attend via zoom, register here.

Houston Arboretum

610 Entrance (preferred)
120 W Loop N Fwy
Houston, TX 77024

Woodway Entrance
4501 Woodway Drive
Houston, TX 77024

COVID-19:  CDC guidelines will be followed.

VMS Code: AT: Native Plant Society of Texas ( Description: Bird Migration over Houston)