Nature Lab

Conserving Birds Beyond Our Borders

To manage for migratory birds, partnerships are essential

About 50 percent of birds that breed in our state leave during the nonbreeding season. Of these, more than half exit the U.S. entirely. Some are in Missouri for only four or five months each year. 

“So, even if the best, most pristine habitat in Missouri were possible,” says State Ornithologist Kristen Heath-Acre, “we’d still be looking at only half the picture for these birds.” 

To thrive, migratory birds need healthy habitat not only during the breeding season but also on their migration routes and wintering grounds. Managing the habitats birds use throughout the year is called full life-cycle conservation. But how can state agencies like MDC put this into practice for birds that go to other countries? 

In 2009, working with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, former State Ornithologist Brad Jacobs spearheaded a program called Southern Wings to address this issue. Like Fall Flights, which works with groups in the U.S. and Canada to improve waterfowl habitat, Southern Wings partners states with conservation nonprofits in Latin American countries where their breeding birds migrate. Today, more than 40 other state agencies participate. 

Through this program, Heath-Acre explains, we “help support things like native tree plantings, bird research, and education and outreach focused on bird-friendly agriculture practices like shade-grown coffee.” 

But these partnerships are not just financial. 

“We support them in other ways,” says Heath-Acre. “We share data, give feedback on research, things like that.” 

Southern Wings matches each state agency with groups in locations that most strongly connect to birds that breed in their state. The Motus Wildlife Tracking System, which also depends on partnerships and data sharing, has helped scientists gain these migration details. 

“We’ve tagged birds like cerulean warblers, wood thrush, and golden-winged warblers, and through Motus we now know more specifically where these and other Missouri birds go in winter,” Heath-Acre explains. “So we know the resources we’re sending will directly impact and benefit our migratory species.” 

Learn more about Motus at short.mdc.mo.gov/4FQ. 

Because the wood thrush breeds in North American forests and winters in southern Mexico and Central America, effective conservation requires management for healthy habitat in both locations and areas in between. 

At a Glance

To practice full life-cycle conservation for migratory birds, MDC partners with conservation groups in other countries through a program called Southern Wings. This program helps state agencies aid habitat conservation in places where their breeding birds migrate and overwinter.

Missouri birds by the numbers:

• About 335 species occur regularly in MO.
• 170 breed in MO
• 84 of these leave MO during nonbreeding season
• 58 of these 84 leave the U.S.

Prairie Warbler:

migrates to Gulf Coast, Florida, and Caribbean

Chimney Swift:

migrates to Mexico, Central America, and Colombia

Cerulean Warbler:

migrates to Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Peru

Yellow-Billed Cuckoo:

migrates as far as Argentina

Learn more at southern-wings.fishwildlife.org