A Black-throated Green Warbler perched on a rock. Many warblers migrate through Texas in the spring. Photo: Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Look up! Millions of birds are traveling through Texas this week as part of the annual spring migration.
Why it matters: Texas sits in the Central Flyway, a superhighway for birds traveling south before the winter months and back north during the spring.
State of flight: Fall migration happens between August and November. Spring migration peaks mid-April to mid-May.
Warblers, ruby-throated hummingbirds and northern parulas are among the dozens of species that travel through Texas.
Most of the migration happens at night, and some birds travel as far as the Arctic in the spring.
By the numbers: An estimated 6.3 million birds crossed Texas between Tuesday night and yesterday morning.
Threat level: Drought, urbanization and heat can threaten birds by making it hard for them to find food and reproduce, per the National Audubon Society.
Brightly-lit buildings can also be disorienting to birds.
What to do: Travis Audubon has asked Austin residents and business owners to turn off non-essential lights 11pm-6am every night through June 30.
Plus, close your blinds at night and aim any lit outdoor fixtures downward.
What to watch: You might spot migrating birds in your own backyard.
