Bird Migrates 9,000 Miles

Small songbirds called northern wheateaters fly from the Arctic to Africa on migratory routes. Those breeding in Alaska fly over Siberia, the Middle East and into Africa, totaling 9,000 miles. The songbirds that breed in Canada fly across over 2,000 miles of the North Atlantic to the Mediterranean and then into Africa. This population might be using Greenland as a stopover for food and rest. When crossing the Atlantic, they average over 500 miles per night.

“This is the only known terrestrial bird that physically links the two radically different ecosystems of the Old World and the Arctic regions of the New World,” said University of Guelph researcher Ryan Norris. (Source: LiveScience.com)

The birds very long migratory routes were made known after they had been tagged with tiny geolocators, to help researchers identify their positions as they fly. They also return from Africa to their breeding grounds in the Arctic each year after winter has ended. So altogether they spend months of each year in flight between continents. That tiny birds weighing less than one ounce can travel thousands of miles on their own, facing many different adversities is one of the more remarkable feats on the planet.

They must have a very attuned sense of navigation and extraordinary flying ability considering how much weather can change suddenly and wind current volatility.

Fortunately these world-traveling, hearty birds also have a large population that could be up to several million, so their conservation status is currently of Least Concern.

Image Credit: Aviceda

Read more: Nature, Nature & Wildlife, Wildlife, birds

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Kenneth D.

11:32AM PDT on Mar 12, 2012

fantastic news

send a green star

Lydia P.

2:36AM PST on Mar 8, 2012

This was a lovely article. I have always enjoyed learning about the amazing feats of our fellow creatures. Thank you, Jake.

Charlene R.

5:08PM PST on Feb 23, 2012

Talk about determination!!!

Carrie Anne B.

4:08AM PST on Feb 21, 2012

interesting article, thanks for sharing :)

Elsa O.

1:17AM PST on Feb 19, 2012

tks

heather g.

1:08AM PST on Feb 19, 2012

I was very fortunate to be brought up in a country with much diversity of a large number of animals and birds. It is very rewarding to share with others the patience of watching animals while on safari or in game reserves.
However, the more I learn about birds and what they are capable of through watching David Attenborough's productions and simply observing them, the more I love and admire birds. They live a precarious existence in North America with many thousands destroyed each year.

KS G.

1:56AM PST on Feb 18, 2012

Thanks for the article.

Andrea C.

10:33AM PST on Feb 17, 2012

Thanks Jake. As Cindy B says: " they deserve our utmost respect and admiration...."

Cindy B.

12:23AM PST on Feb 17, 2012

Another amazing journey, out of so many. Even the monarch butterflies fly thousands of miles with barely a rest. And the sea turtles that almost circumnavigate the globe? Animals deserve our utmost respect and admiration; they put humans to shame.

New G.

10:26PM PST on Feb 16, 2012

Thank you for the information.