WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Bird lovers may want to look up after sunset Thursday night.
An estimated 365 million birds are expected to take flight on their yearly spring migration across the central United States, according to the CornellLab BirdCast. Skies over southern Kansas and northern Oklahoma are anticipated to be especially dense with migratory birds.
BirdCast is a collaborative effort among Cornell and other universities and organizations to track migratory patterns using radar and historical data in an effort to support conservation and document environmental impacts on bird populations.
Most migratory birds travel at night, making it difficult to track their movement. BirdCast uses technology like radar to track and predict their movements across the U.S.
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For best viewing, BirdCast recommends turning off all outdoor lights from 11 p.m. until 6 a.m., as outdoor lights can disorient birds. If you can’t stay up Thursday night, another opportunity is coming up Saturday night…