Many song birds spend their winter on these islands too. With the loss of these forest on many of the island countries some song bird populations decreased. Some song birds travel many miles over oceans to these wintering grounds and then have to compete with birds stressed by over crowding by their own kind. Food and shelter become difficult to find for the tired, migrating song birds. With food difficult to find and the already exhausted and hungry birds become easy prey for predators.
Some song birds migrate at night.
When the sun comes up and these birds are over the ocean they have two choices. They continue flying until they reach some land or turn back. The barrier islands along the Atlantic are the first land fall for exhausted song birds. Some don't make it and fall into the sea and become easy meals for fish and sea gull. Others flutter to the barren beaches and can't make it to the first line of grasses or brush and become meals for fox and gulls.