Why do raptors migrate?
Many North American raptors take to the skies each fall and migrate south where prey is more abundant. Prey animals are those animals that are hunted and eaten by raptors; these can include mice, rabbits, small birds, reptiles, insects and even other raptors. As winter comes to our area, many prey animals that are eaten by raptors hibernate, burrow underground, migrate themselves, or die. The raptors’ food sources are now reduced, and raptors need to move to find enough food to sustain them through the winter. Where do raptors go when they migrate? The distance traveled by raptors during migration can range from only a few hundred miles to several thousand miles each way. Some raptors fly from Canada to different part of the U.S., while others fly from the U.S. all the way to Central and South America! Why don’t raptors stay down south all year round? If all the raptors that migrated to southern areas stayed there all year round, there would be much more competition for food and space
