Did you know: Around 4,000 species of birds are regular migrators.
There’s a good chance you already encountered a migratory bird in your own backyard, or on your favorite trail! Many species undertake unimaginable journeys around the world each and every year.
World Migratory Bird Day is a global movement that raises awareness about migratory birds. It raises the importance of cooperation (within and across borders) to conserve these species and their habitats.
To celebrate the creatures who are pushing the limits of endurance with land with their journeys across land, sea and sky, check out this list of some of nature’s most impressive migrators.
A whale of a journey: Meet the humpback whale
Weighing in at over 79,000 lbs, humpback whales are one of the largest species on the planet. But all that blubber isn’t slowing them down!
Every winter, these giants migrate to warm waters where they raise their calves. The journey is no small feat, even for these big mammals. They travel 4,900+ miles each way, which makes this the longest migration of any mammal.
While they may be slow swimmers, they travel non-stop for days on end, not even stopping to feed along the way.
A marathon and a sprint: Meet the sooty shearwaters
Taking the silver medal for longest migration is the sooty shearwater. These endurance athletes travel far and travel fast.
Each year, they fly from their breeding grounds in New Zealand, Australia and Chile, to their northern feeding grounds, a journey that spans over 3,100 miles.
To fully appreciate their magnificent flight, keep in mind that they cover 450 - 681 miles each day.
A multi-generational migration: Meet the monarch butterfly
In what might be one of the most colorful migrations, monarch butterflies travel about 3,000 miles every year in their famous journey from Canada to Mexico.
In fact, the record is held by a tracked monarch that flew 265 miles in a single day!
The great monarch migration includes 3 - 4 generations of butterflies, and even crosses the Atlantic Ocean on occasion!