15 Fascinating Bird Species That Travel Thousands of Miles—Just in Time for World Migratory Bird Day
Every year, millions of birds defy gravity and geography, soaring across continents and oceans in epic migrations that showcase the astonishing endurance and navigational genius of nature’s most intrepid travelers.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
Each spring and autumn, millions of bird species make incredible migrations, flying thousands of miles between breeding and wintering territories. These monumental journeys, frequently crossing continents and oceans, expose incredible feats of endurance, navigation, and survival — some by birds no bigger than a teacup. From the Arctic Tern’s pole-to-pole flight to the Blackpoll Warbler’s non-stop ocean flight, migratory birds are living wonders of nature, worthy of awe and conservation.
1. Arctic Tern
Image from Wikipedia
This bird is on record to travel from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back annually — more than 44,000 miles, the longest migration of any creature. It gets two summers a year, luxuriating in almost constant daylight. With a span of 30 years, an Arctic Tern could fly over a million miles in its lifetime.
2. Bar-tailed Godwit
Image from Wikipedia
These coastal birds make nonstop flights of more than 7,000 miles over the Pacific Ocean without touching down. One was followed by flying nonstop from Alaska to New Zealand in 11 days — no food, no rest. They pack on fat reserves before lift-off, almost doubling their weight.
3. Swainson’s Hawk
Image from The Peregrine Fund
Bred in North America and wintering in Argentina, this raptor travels more than 6,000 miles on two occasions annually. Thousands ride the thermals together over Central America in huge “kettles.” They differ from most raptors in that they also change to a diet of grasshoppers and dragonflies in South America.
4. Common Cuckoo
Image from Wikipedia
Renowned for its “brood parasitism,” this bird also undertakes an epic 3,000–6,000-mile journey from Europe to sub-Saharan Africa. Young cuckoos travel independently, relying solely on instinct. Their trip involves crossing the notorious Sahara Desert.
5. Blackpoll Warbler
Image from All About Birds
Weighing less than a house key, this small songbird travels nonstop for three days across the Atlantic Ocean. Its round-trip journey covers approximately 12,000 miles between North America and South America. Though small, it metabolizes body fat with the accuracy of a marathon runner.
6. Northern Wheatear
Image from eBird
This robin-sized bird migrates from the Arctic to sub-Saharan Africa — a total of as much as 18,000 miles. Bafflingly, some wheatears cross the entire Asian and European continents. Its international migration is among the biggest bird migrations.
7. Red Knot
Image from Wikipedia
Traveling almost 9,000 miles from the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego, this coastal bird visits stopover points in synchronization with horseshoe crab egg-laying. Delaware Bay populations rely on this essential food source, and conservation programs have aimed to safeguard these species.
8. Sandhill Crane
Image from Wikipedia
These historic birds migrate in family groups and fly thousands of miles between Mexico and North America. Legendary stopovers such as Nebraska’s Platte River receive hundreds of thousands of cranes. During migration, their ghostly, trumpeting calls ring out over wetlands.
9. White Stork
Image from Wikipedia
Representing good fortune and rebirth in various cultures, white storks travel from Europe to Africa, crossing 6,000 miles in the air. They do not fly over the Mediterranean Sea but take up warm thermals over land. Huge flocks can be seen flying over Gibraltar and the Bosphorus.
10. Pacific Golden Plover
Image from eBird
From Alaska to islands such as Fiji and even up to Australia, these birds travel 5,000–7,000 miles each way. Juveniles make the journey alone, without adult guidance. Ancient Polynesians are said to have observed these birds to aid in navigating open seas.
11. Amur Falcon
Image from Wikipedia
This tiny raptor nests in Eastern Asia and spends the winter in southern Africa, covering 6,000 miles across the Arabian Sea. They are reported to migrate in enormous flocks, a rare occurrence among falcons. India sees thousands on their stopover in Nagaland.
12. Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Image from All About Birds
Commonly known as the “rain crow,” this bird migrates from North America to the Amazon Basin annually. Its calls tend to be associated with oncoming thunderstorms. Migrating predominantly at night, it can travel up to 100 miles a night.
13. Rufous Hummingbird
Image from Wikipedia
This little dynamo migrates as much as 4,000 miles from Mexico to Alaska, even though it weighs only a few grams. It’s one of the world’s longest-migrating hummingbirds. They’re fierce protectors of their feeding grounds, even in migration.
14. Northern Pintail
Image from Wikipedia
This dainty duck breeds in the Arctic and migrates to Central and South America, Asia, and Africa. Certain populations migrate more than 10,000 miles a year. Their narrow necks and long tails make them unmistakable in flight.
15. Barn Swallow
Image from All About Birds
These cosmopolitan birds migrate over entire hemispheres, from Europe and Asia to southern Africa or Canada to Argentina. They track insect populations and frequently stop to rest near barns and wetlands. Their distinctive forked tails have inspired poetry and folklore for centuries.