13 Animals That Migrate: From Butterflies To Whales

One of nature's most spectacular events is the long-distance travel of animals that migrate. Animal migration is a massive event occurring in most animals across many species. It involves relocating animals from one habitat to another for a specific duration. 

Animal migrations are a crucial cue indicating environmental changes. Animals migrate for various reasons, including temperature changes, food scarcity, and to avoid risky conditions. An excellent example is animals that migrate from the Arctic regions during the winter because resources become limited and the temperature rises. 

This article explores 13 animal migrations among various species. We will examine some animals like bats, seals, wildebeest, salmon, and caribou. 

Animal Migration: 13 Animals That Migrate  

Here are 13 well-known migratory animals: 

1. Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

The first animal on our list of migrating animals is the monarch butterfly. This species of butterfly is from the Nymphalidae family. Its contrasting colors of black and orange make it one of the most recognizable butterflies in the United States. 

Monarch butterflies migrate annually. Their migration pattern is unique. Monarch butterflies make a two-way migration journey just like birds. They are the only butterfly species with two-way migration behavior. 

Monarchs migrate because they can’t survive cold conditions. So, they watch out for the environmental cues that show the onset of a cold climate period. These cues are dried milkweed plants and other nectar sources, shorter days, and colder temperatures. 

The first wave of monarch migration occurs from September to November, while the second wave happens between March and June. Monarchs have the longest migration route of all butterfly species⁸, traveling up to 2,500 miles to their overwintering sites. Monarchs in Eastern North America migrate to the Sierra Madre Mountains of Mexico. In contrast, the monarchs in Western North America migrate to California.

They prepare for the long flight by storing fat in their abdomen. The fat lasts them until their trip back next spring. They stay in the cracks and crevices of eucalyptus trees, Monterey pines, and cypresses. 

The population migrates together, forming a cone shape in the atmosphere. Monarch butterflies migrate back to their home base in early spring. However, they mate and lay eggs on their way back.

2. Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)

The humpback whale is a species of baleen whale. It has the longest migration distance of all mammals, up to 5,000 miles across the open sea. These whales migrate to tropical breeding grounds to wait out the winter period¹. They mate, give birth, and nurse their young calves while waiting for winter to end. 

Whales in the southern hemisphere feed in the Antarctic waters before migrating to the breeding grounds near the equator, while those in the northern hemisphere feed in the waters of North America and Europe before migrating to the Caribbean, west Pacific, and west Atlantic.

During migration, younger whales are at the forefront of the pod because of their desire to gain mating and feeding advantages. Pregnant whales are often at the farther end of the migrating pod. In some cases, expectant mothers give birth during the journey to warmer waters.

3. Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)

Arctic terns are social bird species with an annual migration pattern. They are small, slender birds with angular wings. They have distinct white feathers and a dark forehead. Arctic terns hold the record for the longest animal migration in the world⁵, crossing over 30,000 miles to reach Antarctica.

These migratory birds start their journey in September and get to their Antarctic wintering grounds between November and December. In April, they migrate back to the Arctic region. Arctic terns migrate from the Arctic breeding grounds because it gets too dark to hunt for food.

So, they follow the sun in search of food. Arctic terns exhibit a unique migratory behavior. These birds are a noisy species. However, they suddenly become quiet just before they embark on their journey. Researchers refer to the silence as dread.

The colony takes to the sky as soon as the dread is over. Arctic terns experience two summers yearly because they migrate between the northern and southern hemispheres. 

4. Sea Turtles (Chelonioidea)

Next on our list of animals that migrate are sea turtles. Many turtle species, like the leatherback sea turtle, migrate right after they hatch. These young turtles find their way around the Atlantic Ocean through genetic imprint, guidance from the earth’s magnetic field, and wave frequencies.

Female turtles also migrate from feeding grounds to the spawning grounds to mate and lay eggs every few years. They also return to another habitat using the earth’s magnetic field. Some turtles engage in seasonal movements. They head to shallow waters to feed during the day and move to deeper waters at night to rest.

5. Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus)

The gray whale’s migration to warmer waters is a spectacle to behold. During this annual cycle, the gray whale travels on a round trip across the northern Pacific Ocean⁶. Their possible long-distance migration can reach up to 16,700 miles.

They spend their summer feeding in the northern Bering and Chukchi seas and the north Pacific coast before heading south. Migration begins in September and ends in late December. They travel an average of 75 miles daily. Female whales often birth calves in shallow lagoons and bays of Mexico. 

Gray whales migrate back to their feeding grounds at the start of February. Mothers and their calves are the last to begin their journey because calves need time to grow. Their journey back often lasts till late April. The best time to watch gray whales is during the second migration wave. You can catch them along California’s coast.

6. Seal (Pinnipedia)

Animal migration is an integral part of the animal kingdom. It extends to aquatic animals, such as various types of seals. 

Northern fur seals migrate 6,000 miles round trip, while elephant seals make a 12,000-mile round trip. Elephant seals migrate biannually. Lastly, Harp seals travel 3,000 miles.

7. Blue Wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus)

The blue wildebeest, also known as the white-bearded, is a large antelope native to short grassy plains. Its migration coincides with the annual rainfall and grass growth. The blue wildebeest migrates to greener pastures to find surface drinking water and the nutrients required for lactation and calf growth.

The great migration of the blue wildebeest³ goes on for a true distance of 1,500 km from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, South of Serengeti in Tanzania, to Masai Mara, Kenya. They have a frequent migration pattern, migrating at different times of the year.

They migrate to central Serengeti from April to May. You can watch them by the Moru Kopjes, near Bunia Camp, and cross the Grumeti River. The second migration of the year happens from June to July, when wildebeest cross crocodile-infested rivers to reach Northern Serengeti. They also migrate from August to October and November to December.

8. Caribou (Rangifer tarandus)

Caribou or reindeer holds the record for the longest terrestrial migrations in the animal kingdom. They are large mammals that have evolved to survive life in the Arctic. They live in places above 50 north in latitude, in the mountains of Eurasia and North America. 

The caribou herds in northern Alaska and Canada migrate towards the north coast each spring. These animals travel up to 1300 km yearly. Scientific reports show these animals migrate because of vegetation², global climate patterns, local weather, and the timing of snowmelt.

These migratory animals begin their journey in March or April. They often arrive late at the wintering area because of flies and other summer insects. The flies harm pregnant females’ health.

9. Bat (Chiroptera)

Some bat species hibernate, migrate, or do both. Hoary bats, Mexican free-tailed bats, fruit bats, and greater noctules migrate to warmer locations. They move between summer and winter habitats. Hoary and Mexican free-tailed bats migrate to northern Mexico to wait out the cold weather.

Bats are short-distance migratory species, traveling a maximum distance of 2,000 km. Some bats are regional migrants¹¹, migrating over a maximum distance of 500 km between their summer and winter roosts, while others are long-distance migrants between their seasonal roosts.

Tropical bats migrate away from habitats that require high energy input. They usually migrate through areas with adequate food resources. For example, the lesser long-nosed bats travel from their home base in Western Mexico to the Sonoran Desert of northwestern Mexico and Arizona for the nectar of blooming cacti.

You can witness these migratory species at the Kasanka National Park. Over 10 million bats cover the skies of Zambia at the beginning of October for 90  days.

10. Salmon (Salmonidae)

Next on our list of animal migration is salmon. Young salmon, known as smolts, migrate annually in spring. Scientists refer to salmon's seasonal movement as the smolt run. The entire journey starts in the middle of April and ends at the beginning of June.

Smolts usually migrate when they're 2-3 years old. These migratory animals swim upstream to the Labrador Sea, where they spend their first summer, autumn, and winter. Next spring, they will move to the Canadian Arctic, West and East Greenland, and coastal Labrador.

Young salmon swim hundreds of miles to the feeding area of their new territory. After their second winter at sea, they return to freshwater areas to reproduce.

11. Zooplankton  

Zooplankton are microscopic organisms that dominate the ocean's euphotic layer. They play a crucial role in carbon’s pathway to the ocean’s depths. Zooplankton live in a tight-knit community and migrate to the depths of the sea at night to avoid predators. 

They swim upstream in a process known as diel vertical migration to eat phytoplankton on the surface. Diel vertical migration is a synchronized and rhythmic event influenced by light and temperature variables⁹.

Scientists believe zooplankton migrate daily by following a circadian rhythm associated with their genetics. Their waste increases the rate of carbo transportation to the ocean floor⁴ as they return to the ocean's depths.

12. Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica)

Bar-tailed godwit bird migration is quite interesting. The godwit bird is native to Alaska, California, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Northwest. The bird population in Alaska and Siberia migrates to Australia, Southeast Asia, and New Zealand.

These small birds go on this arduous journey after gorging on food and gaining weight. A four-month-old bar-tailed godwit bird named B6 broke flight records in 2022⁷. It flew non-stop over 8,425 miles from Alaska to Tasmania for 11 days. The trip was the longest non-stop animal migration in history.

Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, the Max Planck Institute, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service tracked godwits to study their migration behaviors. They tracked B6’s movement by attaching a 5-gram solar-powered satellite transmitter to its rump. B6 fattened up in the Kuskokwim Delta before leaving Alaska on October 13. It arrived in Australia on October 24.

13. Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus)

The last animal on our list of animal migrations is bluefin tuna. Bluefin tuna migrate from the coast of Japan to the shores of California. 

When they are one year old, they travel 5,000 miles. Mature southern bluefin tuna fish migrate to one habitat in the Northeast Indian Ocean between Java and Australia¹⁰.

Conclusion   

Animals migrate because it is necessary for their survival. However, certain animals find migration daunting, while others find it easy. For example, wildebeests, zooplankton, and monarchs are prone to attacks during migration. 

Animal migration reminds us that all ecosystems are connected and reliant on each other. It completes the circle of life. To preserve wildlife habitats, we must protect the environment by reducing our contributions to climate change.

Excerpt: By thoroughly analyzing animals that migrate, we shed light on the reasons behind these grand voyages. Science moves us from understanding seasonal shifts to grasping food scarcity as a factor prompting this natural phenomenon. This article explores various species, such as bats, seals, wildebeest, salmon, and caribou, as we follow their migratory trails.