Blackbird Migration in Southern Illinois: Millions of Birds

The skies over Silver Creek (near the St. Louis Metro East town of Mascoutah, Illinois) are filled with a continuous flow of millions of migrating blackbirds, grackles and starlings at sunrise on March 4, 2010. This massive flock was a twice-daily event (sunrise and sunset) for about 2 weeks in late February and early March. The birds leave their roosting location along Silver Creek at sunrise, fanning out over the nearby harvested corn and soybean fields. At sunset, the masses return to the roosting location. These flocks arrive in the region in late winter and again in the fall. - Dan

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