San Gabriel Mountains' Dirt Parking Lot Attracts Migrating Birds

A dirt parking lot at Bear Divide in the San Gabriel Mountains has become a hot spot for avian research projects, as it attracts as many as 13,000 tanagers, orioles, buntings, grosbeaks and warblers on a single day during their long-distance migrations along the Pacific Flyway. Scientists suggest that the topography has a funneling effect on birds during their journey. Researchers are trying to understand at what point in their journey do these mixed-species flocks of birds decide to pour through Bear Divide rather than fly over or around the mountains. The data gathered will help scientists better understand complex migratory behavior and upgrade conservation strategies at a time when climate change is upsetting the delicate balance between life-and-death conditions in ancient habitats.