Which birds are the first to arrive in spring?

It's nature's way for some birds to migrate from one continent to another due to changing weather conditions. Birds typically return to their native lands between late March and mid-May. This behavior is dictated by their nature. After all, birds are warm-blooded animals. Their temperature range reaches 41 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit). This significantly impacts their activity and reproductive capacity.

During the cold season, many birds have difficulty finding food. In temperate latitudes, winters can be extremely harsh, so they forced to winter in warmer climates, so as not to die of hunger. The return of birds home signals the end of the cold weather. But it's important to know which birds are the first to return to their homes in the spring.

What is the order of arrival of birds in spring?

Oddly enough, birds always follow a specific migration schedule. And each one arrives at its designated time. Furthermore, these feathered friends return to the places they abandoned in the fall. They usually reclaim old nests. If a nest has been destroyed, these industrious newcomers rebuild it and prepare to breed. Now it's important to find out which birds are the first to arrive in the spring.

The most wagtails are considered early birds, as they delight with their cooing as soon as the ice begins to break up. They can be observed swimming across the melted ice floes on the river.

Rooks are also noted as early birds. They also arrive in their nests as soon as the snow melts. Rooks tend to renovate abandoned nests, after which they begin laying and incubating eggs. Rooks are among the first to hatch chicks.

The next arrivals are starlings and larks. Starlings occupy nests already built for them and also rush to produce offspring. Larks, meanwhile, sing ringing songs that signal the arrival of spring. Among starlings, males arrive first and build the nest, with females joining later.

A little later you can also meet handsome finchIt can be recognized by its distinctive coloring: the head is blue; the forehead is black; the cheeks, throat and chest are brownish-reddish; the back has a reddish-brown edging; the tail is green; the wings are yellow at the edges, black-gray inside.

It's impossible not to admire such a unique bird as the thrush, which flies in after the chaffinch. It's about the size of a dove, but its coloring is much more attractive. It has a yellowish-white breast and brown spots on its belly. Its back is gray.

In April, redstarts return from warmer climes. This bird is slightly smaller than a sparrow and has a bluish-gray coloration. Its eyes are outlined with a black stripe, and there is a white spot on its forehead. The throat is black. The tail is reddish-orange.

Another feathered friend that follows the redstart is the bluethroat. This bird is small in size. Its distinctive feature is bright blue spot on the chest, which separates from the belly into a black semicircle. The back and wings are brown, and the tail is striped red.

The month of May welcomes the nightingale into the forest's embrace. This bird delights those around it with its extraordinary song. Legends have been told about the nightingale's trills. No one can resist its song, even though the nightingale is quite unremarkable in appearance, with its gray plumage.

The end of spring celebrated by the arrival of swallowsThese beauties usually nest near human dwellings. Swallows often build nests under balconies, in entryways, and in ravines above rivers. These birds are black with a white breast. Swallows usually choose a nest site once and build it themselves. Each year, they return to the same nests.

All about the arrival calendar of feathered relatives

People have already noticed a certain peculiarity in the migration of birds from warmer climates to their native lands in the spring. Moreover, this pattern has remained unchanged over the years. Therefore, approximate dates of their return to their native lands have even been noted. So, The migration calendar for birds from warm countries looks something like this:

1. The return of the rooks from March 18 to 20.
2. The starlings' return period falls between March 25 and April 6.
3. Larks, swans, thrushes and finches are seen from April 1st to 10th.
4. The mass return of birds such as geese, ducks, seagulls, and cranes occurs from April 11 to 20.
5. At the end of April you can welcome redstarts, warblers, and tree pipits.
6. The meeting of swallows and flycatchers occurs in the first half of May.
7. The return of nightingales and swifts occurs in mid-May.
8. The arrival of orioles occurs at the end of May.

Each bird not only has its own arrival schedule, but also a specific flight routeEach family migrates along its own unique route. The calendar shows which birds arrive first in the spring.

What signs mark the return of birds in spring?

As is known, among people the arrival of birds is always heralds the arrival of spring, and thus the long-awaited warming. Signs and superstitions have already been formed regarding this. Here are some of them:

1. There will be a cool summer if the bird nests closer to the sun.
2. Dense flocks of migratory birds herald a friendly spring.
3. The fluffing of feathered friends indicates a change in the weather.
4. The bird is in no hurry to leave for warmer climes – there will be warmth.
5. Bad weather will strike when rooks circle in flocks around their nests.
6. The starling has arrived, which means it’s time to welcome spring.
7. If the nightingale does not stop singing at night, there will be rain.
8. Swallows are harbingers of good luck and family well-being; where they build nests, there will be good luck.
9. The low flight of swallows indicates rain.
10. If the lark arrives early, it means there will be a warm spring.

So, the birds that flew to us in the spring are very delight with their singing and bustleYou can always observe their care for their offspring, and it brings joy. After all, such small creatures are filled with energy and strength. They spend every day in flight, ensuring their existence on this vast planet.