Mapping Bird Migrations Across the Western Hemisphere

Erika Knight, Lotem Taylor, William DeLuca, Chad Witko, Miguel Jimenez, Melanie Smith, National Audubon Society
Audubon's Migratory Bird Initiative brings together spatial information for over 500 species of migratory birds to engage people in the joy of migration and identify places that birds need to thrive so we can protect them for future generations. We create animated maps that summarize the migration journey of each species across the year, bringing together information gathered by numerous researchers and institutions tracking individual birds with locating devices. We carefully apply principles of cartography to ensure maps are engaging and understandable while generating maps through an automated process that allows us to create and update hundreds at a time.