Public Media from Michigan State University

Mid-Michigan bird banders track fall migration

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Current State's Kevin Lavery meets up with staff members banding birds at the Burke Lake Banding Station this week.

How many times have you planned a little winter getaway vacation, and when it was over you came back home having gained a few pounds? Now that it’s getting colder, we all know birds like to take winter trips, but they bulk up a bit before they travel. Birds need to build up their fat reserves to have the energy for that incredibly long migration south.

Most birds in Michigan fly to the tropics. The Kirtland’s Warbler, for example, has standing reservations in the Bahamas.

Current State’s Kevin Lavery took a little trip to the woods this week to learn more.

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Kevin Lavery served as a general assignment reporter and occasional local host for Morning Edition and All Things Considered before retiring in 2023.