Let’s face it, when dealing with our Cleveland area winters, most birds are smarter than humans. They head for Central America and warmer points south. Some of our feathered friends fly only a short distance. The American Robin includes southern Canada and the northern US as part of its winter range. Others like the Baltimore Oriole fly from north to south and back north in the spring covering thousands of miles per year. Black Poll Warblers wing south over the Atlantic Coast. Some pause in Bermuda or the Caribbean but most fly nonstop to South America, a journey of 2500 miles at a maximum altitude of 21,000 feet and the Black Poll is smaller than a sparrow. Certain routes are used by so many birds in the fall and spring migration that they have been called flyways. There are five major routes that follow prominent geographical features, like the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains, running north and south on the North American Continent. There are 17 minor flyways over the Great Lakes Region. In the early spring North-eastern Ohioans have a front row seat to one of the greatest spectacles nature has to offer. Migration is a very stressful endeavor for our feathered friends. Back yard enthusiasts can make a significant contribution to better the chances of migratory birds making it to their destinations. Design your garden with birds in mind. Plant a variety of fruiting, flowering and foliage plants that provide cover and the foods that birds love. And don’t tidy too much. Provide plenty of area where birds can shelter and search for insects. Leave seed heads on flowers and grasses for a food source in the late summer and fall. Keep your feeders filled year round. Birds benefit from a healthy selection of their favorite foods year around but especially in the fall and spring when natural foods are scarce. Don’t forget water. Birds need water to drink as well as bathe in. Bathing is essential year round to keep feathers free of dirt and parasites. Provide shelter. Tall trees and shrubs growing in thickets make birds feel safe and provide nesting places out of the reach of predators. Dense evergreens are among the best shelters for birds.