8 Birds With Splendid Migration Journeys

13 June, 2024

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Despite its tiny size, this hummingbird undertakes an epic migration journey of up to 3,000 km (1,900 miles) from its breeding grounds to its wintering grounds.

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Ruby-throated Hummingbird

This small seabird holds the record for the longest migration route of any bird, traveling up to 71,000 km (44,000 miles) annually from its breeding grounds in the Arctic to its wintering grounds in the Antarctic.

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Arctic Tern

Known for its non-stop migration flight, the bar-tailed godwit travels approximately 11,000 kilometers (6,800 miles) from Alaska to New Zealand without pausing for rest or food.

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Bar-tailed Godwit

These small passerines migrate from their breeding grounds in Europe to their wintering grounds in sub-Saharan Africa, covering distances of up to 9,000 kilometers (5,600 miles) each way.

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Pied Flycatcher

Though not a bird, the monarch butterfly's migration is noteworthy for its impressive scale and endurance. These butterflies travel up to 4,800 km (3,000 miles) from their breeding grounds in to their wintering grounds.

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Monarch Butterfly

This raptor undertakes one of the longest migrations of any North American bird, traveling up to 20,000 kilometers (12,000 miles) round-trip between its breeding grounds in North America and its wintering grounds in Argentina.

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Swainson's Hawk

Travels around 64,000 kilometers annually, making one of the longest migrations of any bird.

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Sooty Shearwater

Known for its long migration from breeding grounds in the Arctic to wintering grounds in Africa.

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Northern Wheatear