August 15, 2010 - Mixed-up Migration
Welcome to the Nature Notebook.

At a time when many birds are preparing for or starting their journey south, Great Egrets are flying north, east and west. These large white wading birds with long necks and spearlike bills are exhibiting what biologists call post-breeding dispersal. That’s a fancy term for young birds leaving the nesting area after they are big enough to care for themselves. This behavior is somewhat unique to the heron family. In August and September populations of these birds peak and this year’s brood starts moving away from where they were born. Leaving crowded conditions behind, they strike out along the Susquehanna River to spend a few days to weeks wandering about before setting their compasses for points south. There these young egrets will join their parents and others of their kind to mature in the southern wetlands.

This is PPL's naturalist, Jon Beam, with the Nature Notebook for WVIA.