15 Birds With the Longest Migrations You Should Know

The Arctic Tern makes the longest known annual migration of any bird. It travels from northern breeding grounds to Antarctic waters and back, with some tracked individuals covering more than 90,000 kilometers in one year.

However, it does not fly that entire distance without resting. The longest documented nonstop flight belongs to a Bar-tailed Godwit that traveled roughly 13,500 kilometers from Alaska to Tasmania without landing.

Migration distances differ between populations and individual birds. Weather, breeding location, food, age, and tracking method can all change the recorded total. For that reason, the figures below are estimates rather than fixed distances completed by every bird.

1. Arctic Tern

The Arctic Tern is the clear champion of annual bird migration. This small seabird breeds in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions before traveling south to Antarctic waters. It then returns north for the next breeding season.

Rather than following a straight line between the poles, Arctic Terns take long curving routes over productive ocean areas. These indirect routes help them find food and make use of favorable winds.

Tracked birds from different colonies have completed very different journeys. Baltic birds in one study traveled around 50,000 kilometers in a year, while birds from Greenland and Iceland have recorded much longer routes. An individual tracked from England’s Farne Islands covered about 96,000 kilometers during one annual circuit.

Why the Arctic Tern Migrates So Far

Arctic Terns spend the breeding season in the far north, where long summer days provide abundant fish and marine prey. As the northern winter approaches, they follow summer southward.

Reaching Antarctic waters gives them access to another season of long daylight and productive seas. In that sense, an Arctic Tern experiences more daylight each year than almost any other animal.

Arctic Tern Migration Facts

• Scientific name: Sterna paradisaea
• Annual distance: Commonly 50,000–90,000 km, depending on population and route
• Route: Arctic or northern temperate breeding sites to Antarctic waters
• Main food: Small fish and marine invertebrates
• Record: Longest known annual return migration

2. Sooty Shearwater

Sooty Shearwaters make enormous looping migrations across the Pacific Ocean. Birds breeding around New Zealand travel north toward productive waters near Japan, Alaska, and California before returning south.

Their route can form a broad figure eight across the Pacific.

Tracking work on New Zealand birds recorded annual journeys of around 64,000 kilometers. Before Arctic Terns were tracked in greater detail, this was the longest animal migration route documented electronically.

How Sooty Shearwaters Save Energy

Sooty Shearwaters have long, narrow wings suited to gliding over the ocean. They use wind above waves to travel without flapping constantly.

They also concentrate in waters where currents bring nutrients and prey toward the surface. These feeding areas allow the birds to restore energy during their long circuit.

Sooty Shearwater Migration Facts

• Scientific name: Ardenna grisea
• Annual distance: Around 64,000 km in some tracked birds
• Route: Southern breeding islands to the North Pacific
• Main food: Fish, squid, and krill
• Migration shape: Broad figure-eight route

3. Bar tailed Godwit

The Bar-tailed Godwit holds the record for the longest documented nonstop bird flight.

In 2022, a young godwit tracked from Alaska reached Tasmania after traveling approximately 13,500 kilometers. The flight lasted about 11 days, during which the bird did not land to eat, drink, or rest on solid ground.

Bar-tailed Godwits also make long return journeys through East Asia. Their full annual route includes stops, even though the southbound Pacific crossing may be completed in one flight.

How Can a Godwit Fly for 11 Days?

Before departure, godwits eat heavily and add large fat stores. Their bodies make temporary changes that favor flight. Flight muscles and other useful tissues grow, while some organs not needed during the journey become smaller.

They choose departure conditions carefully. Favorable winds can reduce the amount of energy required over the Pacific.

Their ability to reach a distant coastline is especially striking because young birds may make the journey without experienced adults leading them.

Bar-tailed Godwit Migration Facts

• Scientific name: Limosa lapponica
• Annual round trip: Around 25,000–30,000 km for some populations
• Longest documented nonstop flight: Approximately 13,500 km
• Route: Alaska to New Zealand or Australia; return through East Asia
• Flight time: About 11 days for the record journey

4. Northern Wheatear

The Northern Wheatear is a small songbird with one of the widest breeding ranges of any land bird. It nests across Eurasia, Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and parts of the northeastern United States.

Despite this huge northern range, many populations winter in sub-Saharan Africa.

Birds breeding in Alaska may cross Asia before reaching Africa. Greenland and eastern Canadian birds take another route across the North Atlantic region and Europe. Some annual journeys approach 30,000 kilometers.

A Long Journey for a Small Songbird

A Northern Wheatear weighs only about as much as a few coins. Unlike a seabird, it cannot feed while floating over the ocean. It must move between suitable land areas and arrive with enough energy to survive.

The species uses open ground along the route, including tundra, rocky slopes, farmland, and short grass.

Northern Wheatear Migration Facts

• Notable feature: One of the longest songbird migrations
• Scientific name: Oenanthe oenanthe
• Annual distance: Up to about 30,000 km for the longest populations
• Route: Arctic North America or Eurasia to sub-Saharan Africa
• Main food: Insects and other small invertebrates

5. Short tailed Shearwater

Short-tailed Shearwaters breed mainly around Tasmania and southeastern Australia. After raising their chicks, they travel north across the Pacific toward Japan, Russia, Alaska, and the Bering Sea.

The journey forms a huge loop that may cover 30,000 kilometers or more.

Millions once passed through parts of the Pacific in vast flocks. They remain among the most numerous migratory seabirds, though food changes, severe weather, plastic pollution, and other threats can cause heavy losses.

An Unusual Family Schedule

Adult Short-tailed Shearwaters begin leaving breeding colonies while young birds are still preparing to depart. The juveniles must complete their first migration without following their parents closely.

Inherited navigation, environmental signals, and wind conditions help guide them across the ocean.

Short-tailed Shearwater Migration Facts

• Other name: Muttonbird
• Scientific name: Ardenna tenuirostris
• Annual distance: Roughly 30,000–40,000 km
• Route: Australia to the Bering Sea and North Pacific
• Main food: Krill, fish, and squid

6. Common Cuckoo

Common Cuckoos migrate between Europe or Asia and wintering areas in Africa or southern Asia.

European birds may travel through the Mediterranean region and across the Sahara before reaching central or southern Africa. Their annual circuits can cover 16,000 kilometers or more.

Young cuckoos complete this journey without being guided by their biological parents.

A Migration Learned Without Parents

Female Common Cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species. The foster parents raise the young cuckoo, while the adult cuckoos leave the breeding area earlier.

The young bird must later find its own route to the wintering grounds. Much of its migratory direction appears to be inherited.

Common Cuckoo Migration Facts

• Breeding behavior: Lays eggs in the nests of other species
• Scientific name: Cuculus canorus
• Annual distance: Roughly 16,000–20,000 km on long routes
• Route: Europe and Asia to Africa or southern Asia
• Main food: Caterpillars and other insects

7. Ruby-throated Hummingbird

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird’s migration is far shorter than that of an Arctic Tern or shearwater. Its size makes the journey noteworthy.

Many Ruby-throated Hummingbirds cross the Gulf of Mexico between the southern United States and Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. The nonstop section may cover roughly 800 kilometers.

The flight can take 18 to 24 hours, depending on wind and the bird’s route.

Do Hummingbirds Ride on Geese?

No. The idea that hummingbirds ride on the backs of geese is a myth.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds complete the migration using their own wings. Before crossing, they feed heavily and build enough fat to fuel the flight.

Some follow the Gulf Coast instead of flying directly across the water.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird Migration Facts

• Weight: Usually only a few grams
• Scientific name: Archilochus colubris
• Nonstop Gulf crossing: Up to about 800 km
• Route: Eastern North America to Mexico and Central America
• Flight time: Often 18–24 hours

8. Blackpoll Warbler

The Blackpoll Warbler is a tiny North American songbird that makes a remarkable fall flight over the Atlantic.

After gathering in northeastern North America, many fly toward the Caribbean and northern South America. The overwater section may cover 2,500 to 3,000 kilometers without a landing.

The birds may remain airborne for two or three days.

Preparing for the Atlantic

Before leaving, a Blackpoll Warbler eats heavily and can nearly double its body mass. Much of the added weight is fat that will fuel the flight.

The bird waits for weather that provides helpful winds. A poor departure decision could leave it battling strong headwinds far from land.

Blackpoll Warbler Migration Facts

• Weight: About 12 grams before adding migration fat
• Scientific name: Setophaga striata
• Nonstop ocean flight: Approximately 2,500–3,000 km
• Route: Northeastern North America to the Caribbean or South America
• Flight time: Often two to three days

9. Red Knot

The Red Knot is a robin-sized shorebird that links Arctic breeding grounds with coasts thousands of kilometers to the south.

Some populations travel between the Canadian Arctic and Tierra del Fuego at the southern end of South America. Others connect Siberia with Australia, New Zealand, India, or western Europe.

A full annual cycle may cover 30,000 kilometers or more.

Stopover Sites Keep Red Knots Alive

Red Knots cannot complete the entire migration in one flight. They depend on a chain of coastal feeding areas where they can rebuild fat.

Delaware Bay is one of the best-known stops in North America. Knots arrive during spring when horseshoe crabs deposit eggs along the shore. The birds eat heavily before continuing toward the Arctic.

Other populations depend on tidal flats around the Yellow Sea in East Asia. The loss of even one major feeding area can affect birds traveling across an entire flyway.

Red Knot Migration Facts

• Scientific name: Calidris canutus
• Annual distance: Up to about 30,000–40,000 km for the longest routes
• Route: Arctic breeding grounds to temperate or southern coasts
• Main food: Mollusks, marine worms, insects, and horseshoe crab eggs
• Main threat: Loss and disturbance of coastal stopover habitat

10. Wilson’s Storm Petrel

Wilson’s Storm-Petrel is a tiny seabird that travels across large parts of the world’s oceans.

It breeds on subantarctic islands and along parts of Antarctica. After nesting, many move north through the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans.

Some reach waters off Europe, North America, and other Northern Hemisphere regions. Their annual movements may total 25,000 kilometers or more.

Life Almost Entirely at Sea

Outside the breeding season, Wilson’s Storm-Petrels remain over open water. They pick tiny prey from the surface while pattering their feet and fluttering just above the waves.

The birds return to land mainly to breed, often visiting colonies after dark to reduce the risk from predatory birds.

Wilson’s Storm-Petrel Migration Facts

• Scientific name: Oceanites oceanicus
• Annual distance: Roughly 25,000–30,000 km on long routes
• Route: Antarctic and subantarctic breeding areas to northern oceans
• Main food: Plankton, krill, and small marine animals
• Size: Smaller than many common backyard birds

11. Manx Shearwater

Manx Shearwaters breed on islands and remote coasts in the North Atlantic. Many migrate to waters off Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay after breeding.

Their round trip may cover around 20,000 kilometers.

Like other shearwaters, they use long wings and ocean winds to travel efficiently. They can also return with surprising accuracy to the same nesting burrow year after year.

Long Life Adds Up to an Enormous Distance

Manx Shearwaters can live for decades. A bird completing a 20,000-kilometer migration every year may travel hundreds of thousands of kilometers during its lifetime.

That total does not include daily feeding trips made during the breeding season.

Manx Shearwater Migration Facts

• Scientific name: Puffinus puffinus
• Annual distance: Around 20,000 km
• Route: North Atlantic breeding colonies to the South Atlantic
• Main food: Small fish, squid, and crustaceans
• Nesting place: Burrows on islands and remote coasts

12. Pacific Golden-Plover

Pacific Golden-Plovers breed on tundra in Alaska and Siberia. They spend the nonbreeding season across islands and coastlines throughout the Pacific.

Some cross thousands of kilometers of open ocean to reach Hawaii, Fiji, Tonga, New Zealand, Australia, and other distant destinations.

Their routes vary widely, but full annual journeys may reach 20,000 kilometers or more.

Returning to the Same Winter Territory

Individual Pacific Golden-Plovers may return to the same lawn, field, or shoreline year after year. Birds wintering in Hawaii can defend small feeding territories far from their Arctic nesting grounds.

Before the northbound migration, their spotted breeding plumage begins replacing the quieter brown and gold colors worn during winter.

Pacific Golden-Plover Migration Facts

• Scientific name: Pluvialis fulva
• Annual distance: Often around 20,000–25,000 km on long routes
• Route: Alaska or Siberia to Pacific islands and southern coasts
• Main food: Insects, worms, mollusks, and crustaceans
• Main challenge: Long sections over open ocean

13. Amur Falcon

The Amur Falcon is a small bird of prey that migrates between eastern Asia and southern Africa.

It breeds in parts of Russia, China, and nearby regions. During fall, huge numbers gather in northeastern India before continuing toward Africa.

The route includes a long crossing over the Arabian Sea. The complete annual journey may total about 22,000 kilometers.

Feeding Before the Ocean Crossing

Amur Falcons stop in areas rich in flying termites and other insects. These food supplies help them gain the energy required for the sea crossing.

Their migration also depends on winds over the Indian Ocean. The birds may use seasonal air patterns associated with the monsoon system.

Amur Falcon Migration Facts

• Scientific name: Falco amurensis
• Annual distance: Around 22,000 km
• Route: Eastern Asia to southern Africa
• Main food: Flying insects and small animals
• Major stopover: Northeastern India

14. Ruddy Turnstone

Ruddy Turnstones breed in Arctic regions and migrate to coastlines around the world.

Some travel from northern Canada to South America. Others connect Arctic Eurasia with Africa, Australia, islands in the Pacific, or southern Asia.

The longest annual routes may total more than 20,000 kilometers.

Why It Is Called a Turnstone

The bird uses its short, slightly upturned bill to flip stones, shells, seaweed, and other beach material. It eats the insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and carrion hidden underneath.

This flexible feeding style helps the species use many kinds of coastlines during migration.

Ruddy Turnstone Migration Facts

• Scientific name: Arenaria interpres
• Annual distance: Roughly 20,000–25,000 km on long routes
• Route: Arctic breeding grounds to coasts across the Southern Hemisphere
• Main food: Insects, crustaceans, mollusks, eggs, and carrion
• Best identification clue: Bold black, white, and chestnut breeding pattern

15. Great Snipe

The Great Snipe does not make the longest total migration in this list, but it is among the fastest long-distance migrants.

Tracked birds from Sweden flew to sub-Saharan Africa without stopping. One covered about 6,800 kilometers in roughly 84 hours.

That equals an average ground speed of more than 80 kilometers per hour, maintained for several days.

Speed Without Many Stops

Many birds balance long flights with rest and feeding. Great Snipes can pass over suitable habitat without stopping, relying on body fat stored before departure.

Their broad wings do not look designed for record-setting travel, which makes their performance even more surprising.

Great Snipe Migration Facts

• Scientific name: Gallinago media
• Nonstop distance: Up to about 6,800 km in tracked birds
• Route: Northern Europe to sub-Saharan Africa
• Flight duration: Around 84 hours in one documented journey
• Average speed: More than 80 km/h during the record flight

Longest Annual Migration vs. Longest Nonstop Flight

These two records are often confused.

Longest Annual Migration

The Arctic Tern holds the record for the greatest documented distance over an annual return journey. It feeds, rests, and changes direction many times between the Arctic and Antarctic.

Longest Nonstop Migration

The Bar-tailed Godwit holds the record for the longest tracked flight without landing. One young bird covered roughly 13,500 kilometers from Alaska to Tasmania in about 11 days.

Record	Bird	Approximate distance
Longest annual migration	Arctic Tern	Up to about 96,000 km
Longest nonstop flight	Bar-tailed Godwit	About 13,500 km
Fast long nonstop flight	Great Snipe	About 6,800 km in 84 hours
Long songbird ocean flight	Blackpoll Warbler	Up to about 3,000 km
Noteworthy tiny-bird crossing	Ruby-throated Hummingbird	Up to about 800 km

How Do Birds Navigate During Migration?

No single navigation system explains every journey. Migratory birds can combine several sources of information.

Earth’s Magnetic Field

Many birds can detect information from Earth’s magnetic field. This sense may help them maintain direction when landmarks are unavailable.

The Sun

Birds can use the sun as a compass. Their internal clocks help them account for the sun’s changing position during the day.

Stars

Some night-migrating birds use the pattern of stars around the celestial poles. Young birds can develop this ability before their first migration.

Landmarks

Experienced migrants may remember coastlines, rivers, mountain ranges, islands, and familiar feeding areas.

Smell

Smell appears to assist navigation in some seabirds and other species. Ocean odors may help birds identify water masses or locate colonies.

Inherited Directions

Young birds that migrate without their parents can carry an inherited program telling them when to leave, which direction to travel, and when to change course.

How Do Birds Survive Long Flights?

A long-distance migrant cannot simply eat a large meal and begin flying. Its body changes before and during migration.

They Build Fat Reserves

Fat stores more energy for its weight than carbohydrates or protein. Some birds increase their body mass sharply before a difficult flight.

Flight Muscles Grow

The chest muscles that power the wings can enlarge before migration. These muscles may later shrink when the bird no longer needs the extra tissue.

Some Organs Become Smaller

Birds making extreme nonstop flights may temporarily reduce digestive organs that will not be used in the air. This lowers weight and frees resources for flight muscles.

They Use Favorable Winds

A tailwind can increase distance while reducing energy use. Birds may wait several days for suitable weather before departing.

They Choose Productive Stopovers

Migrants that stop must find places with enough food to rebuild fat. A poor feeding area can delay the next part of the journey.

They Adjust Their Altitude

Birds may climb to altitudes where wind direction, temperature, and air conditions are more favorable.

Why Don’t Birds Fly in a Straight Line?

The shortest geographical route is not always the safest or most energy-efficient route.

Birds may change course to:

• Find more food
• Use favorable winds
• Avoid storms
• Follow coastlines
• Reach safe stopover sites
• Avoid large deserts
• Reduce difficult mountain crossings
• Find suitable ocean currents
• Avoid areas with few landing options

An Arctic Tern’s looping route is far longer than a straight line between the poles, but it connects productive feeding areas and helpful wind systems.

Threats Faced by Long-Distance Migrants

A migratory bird depends on more than its breeding and wintering grounds. It also needs safe places throughout the journey.

Loss of Stopover Habitat

Drained wetlands, developed coastlines, and altered farmland can remove places where birds rest and refuel.

Artificial Light

Bright nighttime lighting can disorient migrating birds and pull them toward buildings.

Window Collisions

Reflected vegetation and illuminated glass cause many fatal collisions, particularly during migration.

Severe Weather

Storms, drought, strong headwinds, and heat can interrupt migration or reduce food supplies.

Disturbance

People, dogs, vehicles, and boats may repeatedly force shorebirds to fly. Every unnecessary flight uses energy the birds need for migration.

Fishing Gear

Seabirds can become hooked or tangled in fishing lines, nets, and other marine equipment.

Climate Changes

Food peaks may occur earlier or later than before. Migrants following older schedules may arrive after the best food has passed.

Invasive Predators

Rats, cats, and other introduced mammals can destroy eggs, chicks, and adults at seabird colonies.

How You Can Help Migrating Birds

• Turn off unnecessary exterior lights during migration.
• Close curtains or blinds at night.
• Treat reflective windows with closely spaced exterior markers.
• Keep cats indoors.
• Keep dogs away from resting shorebird flocks.
• Avoid walking through posted nesting areas.
• Reduce pesticide use.
• Grow native plants that provide insects, seeds, and fruit.
• Keep feeders and birdbaths clean.
• Support wetland and coastal habitat protection.
• Report banded or tagged birds without approaching them.
• Join a migration count or community bird survey.

FAQs

Which bird has the longest migration?

The Arctic Tern has the longest known annual migration. Some tracked individuals have traveled more than 90,000 kilometers between northern breeding areas and Antarctic waters before returning.

Which bird makes the longest nonstop flight?

The Bar-tailed Godwit holds the documented nonstop record. A young bird tracked in 2022 flew roughly 13,500 kilometers from Alaska to Tasmania without landing.

How long can a bird fly without stopping?

The answer depends on the species. The record Bar-tailed Godwit remained in flight for about 11 days. Other migrants fly for hours or several days before resting.

Does the Arctic Tern fly nonstop from pole to pole?

No. It feeds and rests during its long annual circuit. Its record concerns the total migration distance rather than one continuous flight.

What songbird migrates the farthest?

The Northern Wheatear is among the strongest candidates. Some populations complete annual routes approaching 30,000 kilometers between Arctic breeding grounds and Africa.

Which small bird flies nonstop over the Atlantic?

The Blackpoll Warbler makes a fall flight of up to about 3,000 kilometers from northeastern North America toward the Caribbean and South America.

Which bird crosses the Pacific without stopping?

Bar-tailed Godwits fly nonstop from Alaska to New Zealand or Australia. Pacific Golden-Plovers also make long flights between Arctic breeding areas and Pacific islands.

How do migrating birds sleep while flying?

Sleep during flight is not fully understood across all species. Some birds can use very short sleep periods or rest part of the brain while remaining active, but this should not be assumed for every migrant.

How do birds drink during nonstop flights?

Birds such as Bar-tailed Godwits do not stop to drink during their longest flights. Their bodies can obtain some water through metabolism as stored fat and other tissues are used.

Do migrating birds lose weight?

Yes. Long nonstop migrants can use much of the fat stored before departure. They may arrive thin and begin feeding soon after landing.

Why do birds migrate at night?

Night offers cooler air, calmer conditions, and reduced heat stress. It also allows many daytime insect eaters to feed before and after each night’s flight.

What is the fastest migratory bird?

The Peregrine Falcon reaches the highest speed during a hunting dive, but that is not sustained migration. Great Snipes have recorded unusually fast long-distance nonstop flights, averaging more than 80 kilometers per hour in one study.

Do hummingbirds ride on larger birds during migration?

No. Hummingbirds fly under their own power. Some Ruby-throated Hummingbirds cross the Gulf of Mexico in a single flight.

Can young birds migrate without their parents?

Yes. Young Common Cuckoos, Bar-tailed Godwits, and several other species can begin their first migration without adult guidance.

Do all birds migrate every year?

No. Some remain in one area throughout the year. Others migrate only short distances, move downhill during winter, or travel when food and weather conditions change.