Head Out: Tropical Vacation!

Instead of just heading downslope, some alpine tundra birds fly south to much warmer climates for the winter. To migrate hundreds or thousands of miles they need to stock up on calories all summer.

Watch and listen for these birds on the alpine tundra during the summer- you will notice that they are extremely active. They don't have much time to lay eggs, hatch and feed young, and build up enough energy reserves to migrate south.

In the summer, American Pipits breed on the alpine tundra. Listen and look for them flying high in the sky and "parachuting" down while they sing their pulsing song. When it's time they migrate to the southern U.S. and Mexico to spend the winter.

Wilson's Warblers like willows, including the dwarf varieties that grow on alpine tundra. But come fall, they migrate as far as Central America to spend the winter.

White-crowned Sparrows love krummholz patches on the alpine tundra, but spend winters in warmer areas as far south as Mexico.

Broad-tailed Hummingbirds are the smallest birds that you are likely to find on the alpine tundra. Listen for the metallic buzz of the males as they fly around alpine flower gardens. They might even give you a close look if you are wearing bright colors! In late summer and fall they head south, ending up mainly in Mexico for the winter. Amazing that a bird weighing little more than a penny migrates thousands of miles each year!