18.5 Million Birds Flew Over Indiana, Outsmarted Weather Apps

That was no ordinary weather event! The recent bird migration across Indiana set off weather apps warning of rain, but it was really just the birds.

Spring Migration: Why Millions of Birds Fly Over Indiana

As the weather warms up, millions of birds will make the annual spring migration, moving north from their warmer winter locations. Each spring, birds travel from the warmer to cooler climates of North America, before heading back south in the fall.

Peak migration season occurs in April and May, and then again in September and October. During their travels, many migrating birds fly across Indiana. Just a few weeks ago, we shared that 2 million birds were expected to fly over in a single night!

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May 11th: Indiana's Biggest Bird Migration of 2025 (So Far)

The large migration of birds a few weeks ago pales in comparison to what happened Sunday night. According to a report from Ohio Meteorologist, Ross Ellet, 18.5 million birds passed over Indiana on the evening of May 11th, and according to Ellet, there were more birds in the air than people under them on the ground!

How Fast and High Did the Birds Fly?

The migrating birds were moving at approximately 30 miles per hour and were traveling at an elevation of approximately 3,500-4,000 feet. The intensity of the migration even fooled some weather apps.

READ MORE: Here's How You Can Help the Birds Migrate Safely

Birds or Rain? Radar Confusion Caused by Migration

In a video shared to Facebook by WANE out of Fort Wayne, Indiana, you can see the migration move across the state because it was so densely populated with birds that the weather radar was able to pick them up!

More Birds to Come? Here's When to Look Up

Ellet shares in his post that Sunday was the largest migration of the year so far, but he says that we may see even more birds move across the region on the evening of Thursday, May 15th. If you are a bird watcher, now is a great time to keep an eye out!