The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south
flyway for
migratory birds
Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between breeding and wintering grounds. Many species of bird migrate. Migration carries high costs in predation and mortality, including from hunting ...
in the Americas, extending from
Alaska
Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S ...
to
Patagonia
Patagonia () refers to a geographical region that encompasses the southern end of South America, governed by Argentina and Chile. The region comprises the southern section of the Andes Mountains with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and ...
.
Every year, migratory birds travel some or all of this distance both in spring and in fall, following food sources, heading to breeding grounds, or travelling to
overwintering
Overwintering is the process by which some organisms pass through or wait out the winter season, or pass through that period of the year when "winter" conditions (cold or sub-zero temperatures, ice, snow, limited food supplies) make normal act ...
sites.
Any given bird species travels roughly the same route every year, at almost the same time.
Ornithologist
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the "methodological study and consequent knowledge of birds with all that relates to them." Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and th ...
s and
birdwatchers
Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, by ...
can often predict to the day when a particular species will show up in their area.
Notable locations
Along the Pacific Flyway, there are many key rest stops where birds of many species gather, sometimes in the millions, to feed and regain their strength before continuing. Some species may remain in these rest stops for the entire season, but most stay a few days before moving on.
:''Notable locations include:''
*
Boundary Bay,
British Columbia
British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include ...
, has been listed as an
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations.
IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...
by the Canadian government in recognition of its value to migratory birds.
*
Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge
Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge is located within Grays Harbor, at the mouth of the Chehalis River, which makes up the second largest watershed in Washington. It is one of four major staging areas for migrating shorebirds in the Pacific Fly ...
, in southwest Washington, is a major staging area for shorebirds.
*
Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in
Harney County, southeastern Oregon
*
Alaksen National Wildlife Area
The Alaksen National Wildlife Area is located on Westham Island in the city of Delta, British Columbia. It is an important stopover point for many species of birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway.
Geography
The Alaksen Area encompasses the nor ...
, on
Westham Island off
Richmond, British Columbia
Richmond is a coastal city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. It occupies almost the entirety of Lulu Island (excluding Queensborough), between the two estuarine distributaries of the Fraser River. Encompassing the a ...
*
Vic Fazio Yolo Wildlife Area in the
Yolo Bypass in the
Central Valley of California is a protected area along the flyway.
*
Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges Complex
The Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuge Complex is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service in the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and northern California near Klamath Falls, Oregon. It consists of Bear Val ...
consists of several different wildlife refuges on the border of Oregon and California.
The Summer Lake Wildlife Sanctuary located on Hwy 31, across from the Summer Lake Lodge, in Oregon's southeastern high desert.
*
Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex consists of several wildlife refuges in the northern Central Valley of California.
*
San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex consists of several wildlife refuges in the San Joaquin Valley of California.
*
Suisun Marsh, next to the exit of the
inverted Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta
The Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta, or California Delta, is an expansive inland river delta and estuary in Northern California. The Delta is formed at the western edge of the Central Valley by the confluence of the Sacramento and San ...
, has protected portions.
*
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a large tidal estuary in the United States, U.S. state of California, and gives its name to the San Francisco Bay Area. It is dominated by the big cities of San Francisco, San Jose, California, San Jose, and Oakland, Ca ...
, protected estuaries and mountain open space preserves.
*
Coyote Valley, a semi-developed section of the Santa Clara Valley with one of the highest recorded bird species richness and nesting densities in the nation.
*
Great Salt Lake, Utah, a
Great Basin hub of the flyway.
*
Monterey Bay
Monterey Bay is a bay of the Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica ...
, protected estuaries and mountain open space preserves.
*
Ballona Wetlands
Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve (pronunciation: "Bah-yo-nuh" or "Buy-yo-nah"
) is a protected area that once served as the natural estuary for neighboring Ballona Creek. The site is located in Los Angeles County, California, just south of ...
between the Los Angeles neighborhoods of
Playa del Rey and
Marina del Rey
Marina del Rey (Spanish for "Marina of the King") is an unincorporated seaside community in Los Angeles County, California, with an eponymous harbor that is a major boating and water recreation destination of the greater Los Angeles area. The ...
, and the adjacent city-owned lagoons.
*
Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge
The Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife refuge encompassing located in the California coastal community of Seal Beach. Although it is located in Orange County it is included as part of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex. ...
, a coastal salt marsh located within
Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach in Orange County, California.
*
Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, a coastal wetlands located in
Huntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California, located southeast of Downtown Los Angeles. The city is named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 198,711 during the 2020 census, maki ...
*
Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve in Newport Beach, Southern California.
*
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is a shallow, landlocked, highly saline body of water in Riverside and Imperial counties at the southern end of the U.S. state of California. It lies on the San Andreas Fault within the Salton Trough that stretches to the Gu ...
, an inland
Colorado Desert
California's Colorado Desert is a part of the larger Sonoran Desert. It encompasses approximately , including the heavily irrigated Coachella and Imperial valleys. It is home to many unique flora and fauna.
Geography and geology
The Colorado De ...
saline
endorheic lake
An endorheic lake (also called a sink lake or terminal lake) is a collection of water within an endorheic basin, or sink, with no evident outlet. Endorheic lakes are generally saline as a result of being unable to get rid of solutes left in the l ...
in Southern California, hosts many birds and has surrounding wildlife refuges.
*
San Diego Bay
San Diego Bay is a natural harbor and deepwater port located in San Diego County, California near the U.S.–Mexico border. The bay, which is long and wide, is the third largest of the three large, protected natural bays on California's of ...
, which includes several areas designated as part of the
San Diego National Wildlife Refuge Complex
*
Guerrero Negro
Guerrero Negro is the largest town located in the municipality of Mulegé in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur (BCS). It had a population of 14,316 in the 2015 census. The town is served by Guerrero Negro Airport.
Whale Festival
The t ...
Baja California Sur
bird sanctuary
An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are brought to live and to be protected for the rest of their lives. Pattrice Jones, co-founder of VINE Sanctuary defines an animal sanctuary as "a safe-enough place or relationship within the cont ...
half way of the peninsula of Baja California Mexico
*
San Jose Estuary San Jose del Cabo Baja California Sur, Mexico bird sanctuary and birding Los Cabos
*
Palo Verde National Park, Guanacaste province, Costa Rica. The estuary in this park is located at the mouth of the Tempisque River, the second largest basin in the country. Major migratory visits: March to May, at the start of the rainy season.
See also
*
List of Klamath Basin birds
The following bird species are found in the Klamath Basin, Oregon, and related areas; (a few species listed are only "native" and have a larger continental range). The Klamath Basin is within the Pacific Flyway so, over 350 species can be spotted ...
*
Birdwatching
Birdwatching, or birding, is the observing of birds, either as a recreational activity or as a form of citizen science. A birdwatcher may observe by using their naked eye, by using a visual enhancement device like binoculars or a telescope, b ...
*
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations.
IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...
*
Ornithology in the United States
*
National Wildlife Refuges of the United States
References
Further reading
* {{cite book , last = Wilson , first = Robert M., title = Seeking Refuge: Birds and Landscapes of the Pacific Flyway , publisher = University of Washington Press , location = Seattle , year = 2010 , isbn = 978-0-295-99211-2
External links
''Pacific Americas Flyway'' Factsheetfrom
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding ...
Important Bird Areas of Canada
Bird migration flyways