Birds of different sizes, colors and species flock through New Mexico as they migrate for the season. New Mexicans may catch a glimpse of some in their backyard without being aware of the impact these feathered aviators have on our ecosystem, and in turn, our impact on their ability to survive and thrive.

Migrating birds can travel for up to six months, from spring through fall. During this time, they nest, eat and rest in New Mexico’s wildlands, rural and urban cities and riparian areas.

Bird conservationist and Ph.D. candidate for New Mexico State University Dylan Osterhaus said people often fail to appreciate their impact on a bird’s ability to successfully migrate. For example, birds that migrate at night find light pollution challenging, Osterhaus said.

“80% of our migratory birds here in North America are actually migrating at night,” he said. “A large impact that humans actually have on birds during migration is with the light that we produce at night; so being conscientious about the light that we produce at night or the building you work in ― it’s making sure we need it and it’s useful and keep our night lighting to a minimum.”

Light can disturb a migration pattern, imperiling migratory birds that are attracted to any luminescent to feed on insects.

“Any sort of wasted energy can be detrimental to them. Any time they spend time around these lighted infrastructures they can collide with these buildings that they don’t normally have in their environment,” he said.

“It’s important to know how our activities are impacting our environment as well.”

Light pollution in New Mexico: Check out this light pollution map.

Bird watching in New Mexico

Bird watchers prioritize wildlife protection, specifically birds, and educate the public through their camera lenses and binoculars. Among them, is the Mesilla Valley Audubon Society, a nonprofit organization that “aims to promote the appreciation and conservation of birds and other wildlife.”

The bird enthusiasts who are members of the Mesilla Valley Audubon Society gather at least once a month, sometimes more, to snap photos of birds in their temporary habitats. The group will next meet May 11 at Ice Canyon in Dripping Springs in Las Cruces to celebrate World Migratory Bird Day.

“Mesilla Valley Audubon Society hosts at least four bird walks each month, a monthly program on Zoom and in person, a nature journaling club, birding field trips and other activities,” Cheryl Fallstead, Mesilla Valley Audubon Society president said.

Osterhaus is also a member of the Mesilla Valley Audubon Society, and teaches on many of the bird walks and field trips.

He said bird watching is one of the largest hobbies in the United States, but over time the bird population has declined, causing difficulties for both birds and people.

“Birds play a really important role in controlling insect populations, so when they pass and living here, they play an important role. We also think about pollination benefits that birds have like hummingbirds that pollenate flowers as they go,” Osterhaus said.

“In general, bird populations are not doing well, they are experiencing these widespread declines in numbers and the areas they inhabit. Of course, with that large loss to birds we lose out on important ecosystem benefits they provide to us.”

A report by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) published in 2019 pointed to a decline ― an estimated 2.9 billion ― in the number of breeding migratory birds in 529 species since 1970 across North American regions. The report points to long-term changes in “nocturnal migratory passage” between 2007 and 2017 in songbird populations across the Eastern U.S.

New Mexico considers revision of its migratory bird hunting rules

As work is being done to conserve the remaining bird populations, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish proposed revisions to the The Migratory Game Bird Rule (19.31.6 NMAC), the statue that defines which migratory birds can be hunted in the state.

The proposal included changes to the regular hunting season dates, and an increase in the number of sandhill crane permits but a decrease in permits for certain other species. According to a summary of proposed changes, population survey data was considered in increasing permits for sandhill crane, while bag limits for Central Flyway Scaup and northern pintail would decrease, inline with recommendations by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Department of Game and Fish scheduled a public meeting on the proposal for 6:30 p.m. April 18 at 7816 Alamo Road in Albuquerque.

Changes to the rules governing hunting of fowl are not unusual, according to the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish website, pointing to a 2023 change to the hunting season by six days – starting six days later, but also lasted six days longer.

“The Department revises rules for hunting game every four years and migratory game birds (waterfowl) each year.  Involving hunters and other wildlife enthusiasts is invaluable during the review to ensure that their perspectives help influence hunting seasons and license numbers for the next four years,” read the N.M. Department of Game and Fish website.

Bird flu ‘ruffles feathers’ of cattle in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico

Migratory birds can have an outsized impact on the human world as well. In March, it was reported by the United States Department of Agriculture that H5N1 had been contracted by dairy cattle in Kansas, Texas, Michigan and New Mexico. The source of what is commonly called bird flu was migratory birds, according to a USDA news release.

Read more on migratory birds and the bird flu found in dairy cattle: USDA: Bird flu detected in dairy cattle in New Mexico, Texas and Kansas.

Farmers in Texas reported the infection of chicken populations, according to the USDA, with animals in several flocks being found dead. A few weeks later, a human case of bird flu was also reported in Texas, detected in a person who had close contact with the infected cattle.

Juan Corral can be reached at JCorral@gannett.com or on twitter at @Juan36Corr.