Every spring, millions of birds leave their wintering grounds in the New World tropics (Neotropics) and move to their breeding grounds in North America. About 200 species of songbirds migrate - primarily Warblers, Thrushes, Tanagers and Vireos. They fly at night when the air is cooler and calmer and when there are fewer predatory birds such as hawks that migrate during the day. Flying between 500-6000' altitude they fly between 10-30 mph and some such as the American Redstart can fly 20-100 miles per night. Overall the species depicted in this gallery have migrated from the neotropics, dropping into the Ohio woods to rest and in some cases, to return to their breeding grounds in these woods.

The Scarlet Tanager migrates between 600-4350 miles during migration, the Northern Parula - between 300-3000 miles and the Cerulean Warbler between 2175 miles to 4500 miles. Seeing and photographing these tiny energetic beautiful birds as they travel north each spring reminds me of their plight as they continue to try to find suitable habitat to rest, feed and eventually find their breeding territory in times of rapid changes to their environments.