Credit Vicki DeLoach, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/
Millions of birds migrate each year and many take a path that leads them through Utah. Because these cross-continental journeys take so much energy, challenges like extreme weather, food shortages, or light pollution, are often fatal for birds.
Just after Labor Day, a storm with hurricane-strength winds and extreme temperature drops hit Utah. Trees were ripped up across the state and many residents were without power for days. The storm came right in the middle of fall migration, which means visiting migratory birds were faced with a cold front they couldn’t escape.