September Discussion

Flight Paths: How a Passionate and Quirky Group of Pioneering Scientists Solved the Mystery of Bird Migration by Rebecca Heisman

"For someone who thought I knew plenty about bird migration, I found myself being surprised an awful lot," Rebecca Heisman writes. "Not just by what these scientists were learning—although that was fascinating, too—but by how they were learning it, the details in the sometimes-overlooked 'methods' section of a scientific paper, where researchers spell out exactly how they produced their data. Despite my own background in ornithology, it was news to me that birds' migration patterns could be studied with weather radar. Or by analyzing the hydrogen isotopes in their feathers... How, I wondered, did we even figure out how to do any of this?"

'Tis the season! Fall migration season, that is. It felt like the perfect time of year to explore the history (and future) of our scientific understanding of birds and their remarkable journeys. Read on for different perspectives and takeaways, interspersed with your own bird pics and stories.

“It is so amazing how much data banders can gather from a bird in such a short period and the conservation research that can come with that. The lab I volunteer with also gathers weather and foliage data and can see how changing landscapes affect the species they study. Passerines are so small and I feel very fortunate to have this unique glimpse into their complicated and precious lives.” —Lucy

“This book helped me to truly understand the purposes of banding, especially the analysis of feathers.” —Daisy

“What is so surprising to me is when you get it in your hand it's so much smaller than it looks, even when it's inches away. Another surprising thing is how thick the feathers are.” —Jeanne

“I have worked at a bird banding station (recording). It is always a joy to see some of these tiny warblers up close and marvel at how far they travel each year. I’m in awe of the smaller birds that travel the globe just to get to their breeding grounds. We need to preserve their stopover sites to help them along.” —Cyndi

“I have seen a bird just after it has been banded while awaiting release. I have acted as the scribe, recording the measurements and other characteristics while the pros affixed the band on the bird. In the 'wild' I have seen a fair number of banded birds. Band color, sequence, location (R or L) were sometimes noted (and reported) by a better birder than me. I have never gotten close enough to 'read' the band.”—Stef

“I did a summer internship with a conservation organization, which has a banding lab on property. It was always a fun thing to get a 'recapture' because, although they likely were banded by us, there was always a chance that they were banded in a completely different location!”—Sarah

“I don’t remember ever seeing a banded bird, although I have been aware that some birds are banded for research. Beyond just a general knowledge of the practice, I never gave banding much thought—until reading Flight Paths. Now that I know more about banding, I will definitely be more vigilant in my bird watching.”—Rebecca

“There's a balance to strike: we need to study species in order to develop better laws and practices to protect them. Our knowledge and technology are always evolving, so tracking methods can adapt over time as we learn more." —Lucy

“I so appreciated this section of the book. When I think about the amazing scientists profiled in the book, so many of whom have built their careers on the foundation of their love of birds, I’m sure this ethical quandary is something they grapple with constantly. Early on in the book, I was uneasy about the descriptions of the rudimentary bands, net captures, and tracking device ‘backpacks’ and the impacts they have on birds. The most recent work with isotope and DNA analysis from feather collecting feels less harmful to individual birds. We have to seek balance when doing research, looking at the big picture conservation needs, while also honoring and respecting the individual birds that happen to be captured and studied.”—Jessica

“I think one of the reasons this topic gives us pause is that birds can't give us their consent.”—Martha

“I really do struggle with the unknown and known impacts of putting transmitters on birds...To read that a study in 2019 said there was no weight threshold that didn’t affect birds was pretty disheartening.”—Daisy

“Blackburnian warblers are difficult to track, but they need help. Most research requires IACUC approval, so this helps reduce the number of birds impacted, and it also provides information on whether the study is viable and worth the cost. I believe that tracking birds will ultimately help with conservation efforts, but I also think that is where community science, like eBird, can help alleviate some of these concerns.”—Sophia

“Such a dilemma to me, because there are so many other harms to birds. At first I think we shouldn't do anything that could cause more harm, yet maybe the action will help a multitude of birds. Yet each life is valuable...”—Joy

“I totally appreciate the concern and efforts to use the least invasive methods possible to track birds. And the permitting required ensures that only trained individuals are handling the birds. I’ve watched biologists masterfully repair rare injuries that might have been sustained during handling. As emphasized in the book, without these methods our efforts to protect and restore bird species could easily be completely misdirected”—Daphne

A few stats about our book club group:

• More than 50% of us are eBird users
• 33% have participated in a Christmas Bird Count
• 25% have participated in Project Feeder Watch

“I am a faithful user of eBird and love how it tracks and summarizes all my sightings in whatever way I want to see them.”—Daphne

On the other hand, a theme emerged among some readers: not wanting to use technology while birding.

“I have submitted 63 checklists to eBird, which is not all that many for how long I have been birding. I do wonder if I should be contributing more since it is important data to be collecting and sharing with scientists ... I typically don’t want to be glued to my phone while I am out birding.”—Sarah

“I used to be a regular eBirder but found it was taking the joy and relaxation out of my birding outings. I still report rarities if I see them.”—Daisy

Some ideas the group shared to counter this:

• Carry a pen and notebook (and digitize findings later)
• Get a small recorder to take voice memos while in the field (this idea was presented in the book!)
• Keep your phone tucked away for the most part, while planning a few designated eBird breaks along your route

“My involvement in community science began as a volunteer bluebird monitor with the Southern California Bluebird Club, where I contributed to efforts to support Western Bluebird populations in increasingly urbanized habitats.” —Angela

“I am on my third year of volunteering for Project Phoenix, which studies the effect of smoke on birds along the Pacific coast. I would encourage anyone in California, Oregon, or Washington to sign up."—Mary

“I just participated in my first Great Backyard Bird Count this year! That was the first time I used eBird, but after reading this book I’m eager to check it out more.

Jeanne also participated in a Breeding Bird Atlas project—New York State from 2000 to 2005. “I loved it and I learned so much because you need to know behavior, habitat, migration patterns and on and on – I don’t just look at a bird and name it. I want to know about it. I remember Don and Lillian Stokes giving a talk to our local Audubon, advising birders not just to name a bird but to learn something about it. I've heard Pete Dunne and Kenn Kaufman say the same thing.”

“Community science, especially with birds, is what will drive the future efforts to save birds. Science and journals often have a wall of entry for most people: you need a PhD or research knowledge to make an impact, but, as this book points out, many people from various backgrounds developed tools and knowledge that led to what we know. While having the foundational knowledge is important, I think science can get caught up in the ‘old boys club’ sometimes. These data projects allow people who have an interest in birds to make an impact; after all, there is power in numbers.”—Sophia

“While reading I thought about how research often focuses on male birds, since they're frequently more brightly colored and easier to spot. But males and females sometimes spend the non-breeding season in different habitats and if we don't study both sexes, we risk missing that conservation efforts need to target different areas for the same species.”—Lucy

“As a middle school science teacher, I understand the basics of carbon-14 dating, but that scientists can use hydrogen (and other elements) isotopes to create 'isoscapes' and determine geographic locations of migrants completely blew my mind. Visualizing the 'latitudinal gradient' (page 146) and how that water enters the bodies of birds from the foods they eat has changed the way I think (and will teach my students) about the water cycle.”—Jessica

“Soon after finishing this book, I had the amazing experience of seeing 48 Hudsonian Godwits on a sod farm field in western North Carolina. There were super-migrators right before my eyes! I was thankful for all the scientists' work to help me understand their amazing migration.”—Joy

“I enjoyed learning more about night migration and that there are specific nocturnal calls made by some birds. I found the capability of BirdCast to predict when cities should turn out lights to protect migrating birds very fascinating and hopeful.”—Daisy

“Since just about everything in this book is new to me, everything stands out for me. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about particular birds, species, and the scientists working so hard to save them and help them prosper. We need them all so much.”—Rebecca

“First, I love the asynchronous nature of this book club. Second, I think it's important to point out that the word solved in the subtitle of this book is misleading, as there's still much to solve and discover!”—Martha