Shorebirds begin their southbound migration while most of us still think of summer as just getting started. Many have spent the brief breeding season in Alaska, northern Canada, and the Arctic tundra, where they must nest and raise their young during a very short window of abundant food and nearly continuous daylight.

Learn why shorebirds migrate so early, how some species travel thousands of miles to South America, and why adults in transition plumage and newly arrived juveniles can be so challenging to identify.

Fall migration starts much earlier than most birders realize. Shorebirds begin appearing along the Gulf Coast by mid-July, Purple Martins gather in massive pre-migration roosts, and millions of birds prepare for journeys that span continents. Discover the amazing distances birds travel and how fall migration can improve your bird identification skills.