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_{This YouTube video was produced by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.}

On May 9, 2026, Cornell Lab’s Team Sapsucker tackled an incredible challenge: a 24-hour birding marathon across two “sister landscapes” – the Appalachian Blue Ridge Mountains and Guatemala’s Maya Forest. Their mission? Find as many birds as possible to raise funds for critical conservation efforts.

🌎 The Results:

• 306 total species spotted
• 16 shared Neotropical migrants seen on the same day, nearly 1,500 miles apart
• Awesome birds like Golden-winged Warbler, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, and Lovely Cotinga

🌟 Key Highlights:
This Big Day showcased how migratory birds connect our hemisphere’s

_{This YouTube video was produced by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.}

Bird migration isn’t just a continental phenomenon—it’s also super-local, happening all around you, and now’s the time to enjoy the spectacle! Some of these new faces are just passing through, while others will be here all summer.

We spoke with Cornell Lab experts Adriaan Dokter and Ileana Betancourt during a live broadcast to learn a little about the basics of bird migration and what these new arrivals are up to. After covering the basics of bird migration, we discussed how the Cornell Lab’s BirdCast Project can help you

_{This YouTube video was produced by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.}

Spring migration means the return of familiar summertime birds. But that’s not all—look closely and you’ll also find birds that are only passing through. They’ll stop for a few days to refuel in your backyard or local park, then head on to their summer breeding sites in the boreal forest of Canada and Alaska. For many people, April to May and September to October are the only chance many of us get to see these beautiful birds. Here’s an introduction to 12 “stopover birds” to keep an eye