We often think of birds migrating south in the fall. But many species kick off their big trips surprisingly early in the year. Shorebirds nesting in the Arctic tundra are an extreme example. Birds like the American Golden-Plover have a small window of time to build a nest, find a mate, and lay eggs in the short Arctic growing season. Golden-plovers actually leave their juvenile young behind to begin flying south in mid-summer. The juveniles find their own way to South America later in the year!

More info and transcript at BirdNote.org. 

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