Migratory Birds

The topic of bird migration quickly brings to mind geese, swallows, and birds of prey traveling great distances. Around 20% of the world’s birds undergo some form of migration, meaning roughly 2,000 birds cover a certain distance throughout the year. Sometimes, these birds cover unbelievably long distances, like the Arctic Tern, which can travel nearly 60,000 miles during its annual round-trip migration between the Arctic Circle and Antarctica – the longest distance covered by any migratory animal.

Why Do Birds Migrate

Migration primarily occurs because of the scarcity of resources, such as food and roosting spots, prompting birds to travel both long and short distances. While cold weather is a factor, some birds, like hummingbirds and juncos, can survive if adequate food is available.

Certain species have an inherent need to migrate, confirmed by tagging juveniles migrating for the first time and verifying that they travel to the same destination as their predecessors. For many birds, the time to migrate is signified by a change in natural sunlight during winter, which causes a decrease in day length. But some birds, like sparrows and cuckoos, migrate at night using the stars for navigation, reducing the risk of predation and fatigue from overheating.

Depending on the distance covered every year, migratory birds can be grouped into long-distance and short-distance migrants.

1. Birds That Migrate Long Distances

Long-distance migratory species may travel in groups, such as storks or geese, or fly solo, like the Eurasian Blackcaps or Yellow-billed Cuckoos. They commonly use predetermined “routes,” called migratory flyways, to reach their destinations.

Here is a list of birds famous for their long migrations between their breeding and wintering grounds.

Species	Flyway	Round-trip Distance (in miles)	Migration Route
Arctic Tern	Atlantic, Pacific	44,000-59,000	Arctic and sub-Arctic regions to the Antarctic
Sooty Shearwater	Pacific	42,000-46,000	New Zealand to the North Pacific Ocean, reaching areas off the coast of Japan, Alaska, and California
Short-tailed Shearwater	Pacific	18,000-21,000	Australia, particularly Tasmania to the North Pacific Ocean, especially the Bering Sea and the Aleutian Islands
Pectoral Sandpiper	Central, Mississippi	18,000-19,000	Arctic tundra of northeast Asia, Alaska, and Canada to South America
Northern Wheatear	East Atlantic, Central Asian-Indian	18,000-19,000	North America, Europe, and Asia to sub-Saharan Africa
Red Knot	East Asian-Australasian, West Pacific	18,000-18,500	The Tamyr Peninsula to coastal regions of South America, Western Europe and Africa, Australia, and New Zealand
Bar-tailed Godwit	East Asian-Australasian	17,000-18,000	Alaska and Siberia to New Zealand and eastern Australia, covering about 7,000 miles non-stop
Willow Warbler	Asian–East African	16,000-16,500	Eastern Siberia to sub-Saharan Africa
Pied Wheatear	East Atlantic, Central Asian	11,000-11,200	Southeast Europe and Western Asia to Northeast Africa
Amur Falcon	East Asian-Australasian, Asian–East African	9,000-14,000	Southeastern Siberia and Northern China to southern and eastern Africa, passing through India and the Arabian Peninsula
Taiga Flycatcher	Central Asian-Indian, East Asian-Australasian	6,000-10,000	Taiga forests of Siberia to Southeast Asia
Great Reed Warbler	East Atlantic, Central Asian-Indian, Asian–East African	6,000-6,500	Eurasia to sub-Saharan Africa
Great Snipe	East Atlantic, Central Asian-Indian	5,000-9,000	Northern Europe to sub-Saharan Africa
Barn Swallow	East Atlantic, Central Asian-Indian	5,000-7,200	North America and Eurasia to South America, sub-Saharan Africa, and South Asia
White-crowned Sparrow	Pacific, Central, Mississippi, Atlantic	5,000-5,200	Northern North America to the Southern US and northern Mexico
Calliope Hummingbird	Pacific	5,000-5,060	Northwestern US and Southwestern Canada to Mexico and South America
Snow Goose	Central, Mississippi, Atlantic, Pacific	4,800-6,000	Arctic regions of North America to the southern US and Mexico
Rufous Hummingbird	Pacific, Central	4,000-6,000	The Rocky Mountains to Mexico
Sandhill Crane	Central, Pacific, Mississippi	4,000-5,000	Northern North America to the Southern US and Northern Mexico
Northern Pintail	Central, Mississippi	4,000-4,500	Northern parts of North America, Europe, and Asia to Central and South America, Southern Asia and Africa
Yellow-rumped Warbler	Pacific, Central, Mississippi, Atlantic	4,000-4,200	Northern North America to the southern US, Mexico, and the Caribbean
Baltimore Oriole	Central, Mississippi, Atlantic	3,000-3,200	Eastern North America to Central and Northern South America and the Caribbean
Indigo Bunting	Pacific, Central, Mississippi, Atlantic	2,200-2,400	Southern Canada to Northern South America
Painted Bunting	Mississippi, Atlantic	2,000-3,000	Southeastern US to Central America and the Caribbean
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	Pacific, Central, Mississippi, Atlantic	2,000-2,200	Northern North America to the southern United States and Mexico
Eurasian Wryneck	East Atlantic, Central Asian-Indian, Black Sea-Mediterranean	1,800-1,900	Northern Eurasia to sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	Mississippi, Central	1,700-1,800	Eastern North America to Central America, crossing the Gulf of Mexico in a single flight
Osprey	East Atlantic, Central Asian-Indian, Pacific	1,600-14,000	Northern North America and Europe to South America and Africa
Bar-headed Goose	Central Asian-Indian	1,600-1,900	Central Asia, particularly the Tibetan Plateau to the lowlands of India, crossing the Himalayas at high altitudes on the way
Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Central, Mississippi, Atlantic	800-1,000	Canada and the Northern U.S. to Central and South America
Gadwall	Mississippi, Central, Atlantic, Pacific	500-1,500	Northern parts of North America, Europe, and Asia to the Southern US, Central America, and Southern Asia
Orange-bellied Parrot	East Asian-Australasian	200-600	South West Tasmania to the coastal areas of southern mainland Australia, flying over the Bass Strait

While not a flying bird, the Adélie Penguin, specifically the population in the Ross’s Sea, travels around 16,000 miles from their breeding grounds to the wintering grounds and back.

2. Birds That Migrate Short Distances or Between Altitudes

Sometimes, migration involves birds traversing small areas for food or adjusting altitude due to uncomfortable weather, independent of day length. Some birds known for traveling short distances include:

• Yellow-eyed Junco
• Prairie Falcon
• Wallcreeper
• American Coot
• American Dipper
• Brewer’s Blackbird
• Common Chiffchaff
• Dusky Grouse
• Eurasian Skylark
• Greater Sage-grouse
• Great Gray Owl
• Hawaiian Goose
• House Finch
• Merlin
• Mountain Quail
• Northern Saw-whet Owl
• Skylark
• Snow Bunting
• Western Bluebird
• White-throated Dipper
• Blue-fronted Redstart
• Indian Pitta
• White-browed Wagtail

Other Reasons For Birds to “Migrate”

Birds have been observed to travel significant distances for reasons that are not strictly migratory. For instance, an irruption happens when a species is compelled to travel beyond its usual range because its typical habitats fail to provide sufficient resources. For instance, in the winter of 1993-94, several different redpoll species, most notably the Common Redpoll, were observed to move to different areas outside of their range.

Conservation of Migratory Birds

Migratory birds face many threats, including harsh weather, loss of stopover sites, climate change, and hunting for sport. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act was enacted to restrict the hunting of these birds. Additionally, the restoration of major stopover sites like California’s Central Valley is currently taking place.