Fall migration is officially getting underway across the United States, and more than 200 million birds are expected to take to the skies this week, according to migration forecasts based on weather radar and atmospheric conditions.

The biggest movements are currently concentrated across the central United States, giving birdwatchers in several states an excellent opportunity to see migrating birds passing overhead or stopping to feed.

These states are seeing the biggest migration

According to the latest BirdCast forecasts, the strongest migration activity on August 26 is expected across Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Minnesota is also likely to see substantial activity, as are North Dakota and South Dakota. The latter three states also saw significant activity last night as birds started to make their journey south. 

BirdCast, live migration map (US); 26th of August 2026: 06:00 ET. Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

The shifting pattern is a reminder that bird migration isn’t a steady stream of birds gradually moving south. Instead, large numbers can take off on the same night when weather conditions are favorable. For birdwatchers, that can mean a seemingly quiet day is suddenly followed by a morning filled with unfamiliar species.

Most of the birds are migrating at night

One of the most remarkable things about the current migration is that you probably won’t see the vast majority of these birds flying. Many North American songbirds migrate after dark, using the cooler nighttime conditions and favorable winds to make long journeys while avoiding some daytime predators.

Ornithologists use weather surveillance radar to detect this movement, allowing researchers to estimate how many birds are migrating and where the largest movements are taking place. On a good autumn night, more than one billion birds can be airborne over the US, making the current 200-million-bird forecast a substantial early-season migration event.

What should birdwatchers look for?

The exact species moving through your area will depend on your location, but late August marks the beginning of a busy period for many migratory species. Warblers, vireos, thrushes, flycatchers, shorebirds and other species can all begin appearing in places where they weren’t present just days earlier.

The best time to look is often early in the morning after a major migration night. Birds that traveled overnight need to stop and refuel, making parks, woodland edges, wetlands, and even backyards useful places to search. If you’re in Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, or Texas, it’s worth checking the latest BirdCast forecast before heading out. You may not see 200 million birds – but there’s a good chance that some of them will be passing directly over you.