New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-23
MIGRATION Of BIRDS
Golden PIover Makes $500
Miles in a SingIe Flight.

Intensely interesting data on the mlgra-
ton of American BIRDS drawing special az
tention 10 the golden plover. which makes
Twenty-Five hundred miles in single flight
and TO birds that fig from pole to pole to
shun the darkness, are obtainable from
material compiled by Wells w. Cooke, or
the United States Biological Survey, for
the National Geographic Magazine"
The principal routes used by the myriads
Of birds in their migrations between North
and South Ameri are shown. The mid
die route is by far he most important. and
may be said to extend from Northwestern
Florida and Western Louisiana across the
Gulf of Mexico 10 the southern coast OF
tho Gulf, and thence by land through Cen
trail America to South America. More
birds probably follow this route than all
the other routes combined.
Long over-water flights do not take place
without many casualties, and not the
smallest of the perils arises from the light
houses. Last night could have filed
mail sack with the bodies of little warbers
which Killed themselves striking against
my light" wrote the keeper of Fowey
Rocks lighthouse I'm Southern Florida
Every suring and fall the lights along the
coast lure countless birds TO destruction.
The flights OF 800 and 200 miles across the
Gulf of Mexico are short. however, com
pared with the extraordinary $500 mile
flight Of the golden plover. which Is the
longest sustained flight ever recorded.
These birds nest along the Arctic coast
Of North America. and as soon az tho young
are old enough To care for themselves fall
migration is begun by trip TO the Labra
dor e asst where they fatten for several
weeks on the abundant native fruits A
short Zip across the Gulf Of ST Lawrence
bring them to Nova Scotia which Is the
starting point for the wonderful ocean
| flight due south 10 tho coast Of South
| America. II the weather Is good. the birds
make the entire trip without pause or rest
hut u tempest arises they may be
| blown out of the course to the New Eng
| land coast. and start anew on the advent
81 fair weather. Having accomplished the
ocean voyage tho golden plover passes
across Eastern South America 10 it's winter
home In Argentina. and after a soiourn Of
| six months there finds it's way back 10 the
! Arctic again by an entirely different and
/ this time mostly land route.
! The worlds most extraordinary traveller
! is the Arctic tern. which migrdtes from
/ pole 10 pole. thus stunning the darkness
| of night Tho torn nests "a FAR north as
| land has been discovered; that ia As far
| north as # can find anything stable on
which to construct it's nest Indeed. so
! arctic are the conditions under which II
/ breeds that nest found only ~ de
/ grees about five hundred miles from the
| pole contained a downy chick surrounded
| by a wall Of newly fallen snow. which had
I re.n scooped out Of the nest by the parent.
! When the Young tern is fully grown the
/ entire family leaves the Arctic, and some
/ months later the birds are found skirting
| the edges ~ the Antarctic Continent what
| their track is over the HOO miles OF inter
veniug space no one knows \ few scattered
! birds have been seen along the United States
'coast south ~ Long Island. but the great
/ n'cks ~ thousands and thousands which
alternate from OF" pole Ia the other have
/ never been observed by any trained or
, IlthologistS competent to learn their pre-
TERED path and time schedule. They ar
rive I'm the Far North early in June, and
"a few weeks longer I'm the winter home
than in the summer home. which, If 50.
leaves them about twenty weeks Tor the
round trim OF twenty-five thousand miles.
But by this migration the Arctic terms
have more hours of daylight and sunlight
than any other animals on the globe. Al
the most northern nesting site the MID
night sun has already appeared before
their arrival and II never sets during their
entire stay. During two months of the
stay I'm the Antarctic they do not see a sun
set. end for the rest of the time the sun
dips only a little way below the horizon
and broad daylight continues all night
They have. therefore. tWenty-four hours
Of daylight for at least eight months Of
the year. and during the other four months
have considerably moro daylight than dark
ncss.-Popular Mechanics.