| Page | |
| Introduction | 1 |
| Mystery of migration | 3 |
| Historical accounts | 3 |
| Advantages of migration | 4 |
| Theories of causes of migration | 5 |
| When birds migrate | 7 |
| Movements of species and groups | 8 |
| Nocturnal and diurnal migration | 11 |
| How birds migrate | 13 |
| Speed of flight and speed of migration | 13 |
| Altitudes at which birds travel | 22 |
| Orientation | 23 |
| Segregation during migration | 25 |
| Where birds migrate | 27 |
| Distances of migration vary | 27 |
| Short and undetermined migration | 27 |
| Variable migrations within species | 28 |
| Fall flights not far south of breeding ranges | 29 |
| Long-distance migrations | 30 |
| Routes of migration | 33 |
| Wide and narrow migration lanes | 34 |
| Atlantic oceanic route | 39 |
| Atlantic coast route and tributaries | 42 |
| Mackenzie Valley-Great Lakes-Mississippi Valley route and tributaries |
45 |
| Pacific coast route | 47 |
| Pacific oceanic route | 49 |
| Arctic routes | 52 |
| Evolution of migration routes | 52 |
| Vertical migration | 55 |
| Vagrant migration | 55 |
| Perils of migration | 56 |
| Storms | 56 |
| Aerial obstructions | 57 |
| Exhaustion | 59 |
| Influence of the weather on migration | 59 |
| Problems of migration | 61 |
| Banding studies | 61 |
| Movements of residents | 62 |
| Migration of the white-throated sparrow | 63 |
| Migration of the yellow-billed loon | 63 |
| Conclusions | 65 |
| Bibliography | 66 |
| Index | 69 |