Every March, the proud, loud and flip-floppy JaySker bird begins its migration toward Omaha for March Madness. However, as of early March, many birds have not begun their descent on I-80.

As the Huskers men’s basketball team competes for a spot in the March Madness bracket, many JaySkers are choosing to stay home and support their college team. Making many known JaySker fans just regular ‘Skers fans.

Mindy Mendelson, a sports-based ornithologist, has never seen such a light migration in decades.

“Usually, the sky is covered with flocks of JaySkers going to Omaha. Now, it’s hard just to find one,” Mendelson explained. “Nebraskans are so fickle with the basketball programs that they’ll just watch whoever’s good. But then they’re both competitive and that’s when the JaySker population becomes sparse.”

With such loyalty toward alma maters, the JaySker birds are showing record lows. It’s gotten to the point where the JaySker has been put on the endangered species list.

Mendelson, however, is not worried about the risk of JaySker extinction.

“The Huskers are winning now, but they’ve never shown any ability to win from year to year,” Mendelson explained. “Also, if the ‘Skers do not make the tournament, I’d except a late JaySker migration sometime around when March Madness begins.”