what are 5 animals that migrate

List of Animals that Migrate, Animal Migration List

• African Elephant: It migrates to find food during the wet and drys seasons.
• American Buffalo: The American Buffalo is the heaviest land animal in North America.
• American Golden Plover: The American Golden Plover is a medium-sized shorebird.
• Arctic Tern: A small bird that flies from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back again each year.

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Full Answer

Which animals migrate and how?

Some animals migrate before the season to avoid it altogether. Some conserve energy and hibernate until its source of food returns during the warmer months. And others have developed ways to just tough out the harsh conditions that sometimes hit.

What are two reasons that some animals migrate?

Why Animals Migrate

1. Discuss reasons animals migrate. Ask: What do most animals need to survive? ...
2. Have students preview the worksheet Species That Migrate. Divide students into six small groups. ...
3. Watch a video clip from Great Migrations and have groups find additional facts. ...
4. Repeat the process with three additional video clips. ...

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What do animals have migration patterns?

• Monarch butterfly.
• Blue whale.
• Sandhill crane.
• Humpback whale.
• Wildebeest.
• Gray Whale.
• Hummingbird.
• Canada goose.

What are some facts about migrating animals?

• Many animals prepare for migration by storing up energy reserves and even exercising certain muscles so they will be strong enough to make the trip.
• The average arctic tern will travel the equivalent of going around the Earth 60 times in their lifetime.
• Birds save energy and are able to travel great distances by riding the air currents.

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What are the top 10 migratory animals?

In addition to the Great Migration, there are many other animal migrations to put on your bucket list…Wildebeest. ... Topi. ... Zebra. ... Flamingo. ... Elephant. ... Black-necked crane. ... Sea turtle. ... Humpback whale.More items...

What animals usually migrate?

Though not all animals migrate, those that do include species of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, insects, and crustaceans. Migrating species vary in their reason for migrating, their types of migration, the distances traveled, and their navigation skills.

What are the three animals that migrate?

Familiar migrants include many birds; hoofed animals, especially in East Africa and in the Arctic tundra; bats; whales and porpoises; seals; and fishes, such as salmon.

What animal migrates in the winter?

Birds and insects are not the only animals that migrate. Some mammals like whales, bats, elk, and caribou also migrate to warmer locations each winter. What is this? Whales travel south to spend Winter there, but there isn't as much food as there is up north.

Do dolphins migrate?

Some coastal dolphins in higher latitudes show a clear tendency toward seasonal migrations, traveling farther south in the winter. For example, coastal bottlenose dolphins on the Atlantic side of the U.S. migrate seasonally between New Jersey and North Carolina.

Do Flamingos migrate?

Flamingos that breed in temperate areas migrate to warmer climates outside of breeding season. For example, the Andean Flamingo breeds in the high Andes and winters in lower altitudes along the Pacific coast. Flamingos can roam widely in search of wetlands to find food.

Do turtles migrate?

The behaviors of turtles and tortoises, like most animals, vary seasonally, annually, and throughout their lifecycle. Generally, migratory behavior is cyclical and may take place on a daily, seasonal, annual or even longer basis. Species often migrate in search of more favorable environmental conditions.

What animal migrates in fall?

These are all examples of migratory animals. Birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and even insects migrate. Deer, elk, moose, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn are examples of Idaho mammals that migrate. Gopher snakes, rattlesnakes, and other snakes migrate to den sites in the fall.

Do penguins migrate?

MIGRATION: Emperor penguins make yearly travels inland to breeding sites in the early spring. Near the beginning of summer, adult penguins and their chicks return to the sea and spend the rest of the summer feeding there.

Do foxes migrate?

MIGRATION: In Alaska, Arctic foxes migrate from their fall breeding grounds and travel to coastal areas, returning in late winter or early spring. Large-scale migrations have been recorded in Canada, Russia, and the Scandinavian peninsula, possibly a result of drastic reductions in available food supply.

Do ducks migrate?

Ducks either migrate south or change local movement patterns in response to declining open water and food availability. Snow buries food or at least makes it less available. And ice cover significantly reduces habitat available to ducks and often to duck hunters as well.

Do snakes migrate?

While snakes don't migrate hundreds of miles, they do actually migrate, some as much as a few miles to find suitable overwintering sites. Snakes are 'cold blooded', or ectotherms.

What is the biggest animal migration?

Arctic terns hold the record for the longest annual migration recorded by any animal. Moving between Greenland and Antarctica in a zig-zag route, the bird covers 44,000 miles a year.

Which land animals migrate?

Zebras. Zebras (Equus burchellii) are active participants in what researchers call “The Great Migration.” This migration occurs when over a million wildebeest, zebras and other grazing animals migrate towards water and grazing land during the dry season in eastern Africa.

Where do animals migrate?

Most animals that migrate do so to find food or more livable conditions. Some animals migrate to breed. The Atlantic Salmon begins its life in a river and migrates downstream to the ocean. After several years, it heads back upstream to lay eggs and begin the cycle all over again.

What animal migrates the longest?

Caribou have the longest terrestrial migration, but there is more to the migration story. A grey wolf from Mongolia has been documented as having traveled over 4,500 miles in a year. Caribou are often credited with the longest terrestrial migrations in the world, though without much scientific support.

1. Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds

Ruby-throated hummingbirds like to breed in North America but prefer warmer temperatures during the winter months. They start their migration from Central America between late February and early March. They start the reverse route in late August and early September.

2. Snowy Owls

Most owls do not migrate. This is not the case with the artic-dwelling snowy owls who breed in Northern Canada and Greenland. They then migrate south in the winter months to Southern Canada, New England, and the Great Lake states. Their migration pattern seems to be largely determined by the availability of food.

3. Red-Tailed Hawk

The Red-Tailed Hawk is an interesting species because it is considered a partial migrant. About a third of the population lives in Alaska, Canada, and the Northern Great Plains. This portion of the population migrates to North America during the winter months.

4. Eastern Bluebirds

Like most migratory birds, Eastern Bluebirds will leave their breeding grounds in the North to migrate South during the winter months. They fly travel as far north as the southern tip of Canada and as far south as the southern portions of Central America.

5. Caribou

Caribou (often referred to as reindeer) are known for making long migrations in large herds. On the western coast of North America, a herd of about 170,000 caribou known as the Porcupine Herd migrate 400 miles from Alaska’s Brooks Range to the Arctic Coastal plain each spring.

6. Blue Whales

The largest living mammals make a peculiar migration each year. Blue whales inhabit every ocean except the Arctic Ocean. In the summer months, they tend to migrate to the polls to feed on zooplankton. However, come winter, they head back towards the warmer equatorial waters.

7. Arctic Tern

Known as the king of migration, the Arctic Tern migrates the longest distance that animal living on Earth possibly could. That’s right. This bird fly’s from pole to pole each year to follow the course of the summer sun.

What are some examples of animals that migrate?

Examples of animals that migrate include the gray whale, caribou, monarch butterfly, Arctic tern, bar-tailed godwit, Canada goose, Chinook salmon, leatherback sea turtle and blue wildebeest. The best-known and most visible migratory animals are birds, but mammals, reptiles and even insects and amphibians all have migratory species.

What is it called when an animal moves from one place to another?

Many animals move around from place to place, following their food or seeking better weather as the seasons change. In some cases, these movements are cyclical: the animal leaves one habitat, moves to another, and then returns, often on an annual cycle. Such rhythmic movements are called migrations.

Why are geese declining?

Scientists think the decline in migratory behavior might be due to urbanization: Canada geese are very fond of city parks and suburban lawns, and they’re relatively safe from predators in human cities. So some geese may have given up migration to live year-round in the city.

How far can wildebeests travel in a year?

Luckily, blue wilderbeest calves are able to stand in a matter of minutes after being born. The wildebeest cover around 800 miles (1,287 km) in a year.

What is migration research?

Today, migration is one of the most active fields of research in animal behavior. Thanks to online citizen science projects (where ordinary people can log what animals they see in their area) and increasingly sophisticated GPS technology, scientists have huge new sources of data to work with.

How far do Arctic terns fly?

In extreme cases, the birds may fly as much as 60,000 miles in a year – one quarter of the distance to the moon.

Why do Arctic terns migrate?

Part of the reason for the extreme length of the Arctic tern’s migration is that the birds don’t follow a straight north/south line. To save energy, they glide with the wind, which takes them in meandering loops as they wind their way from one end of the planet to the other.

What are some examples of mammals that migrate?

Mammals that migrate. Among the most common examples of mammals that migrate are wildebeest ( Connochaetes taurinus ).About a million of them make seasonal trips across the Serengeti plains between Tanzania and Kenya, following the rains in search of pasture. They are the most prominent mammals in a migration that includes zebras ...

Why do animals migrate?

There are several reasons for which animals migrate. In most cases, the movement of groups of animals helps to maintain the natural balance of ecosystems, both at the place of departure and at the destination, by redistributing resource use . Animal migration usually lasts several days or even weeks, depending on the distance ...

What are the predators of the migratory herds?

They are the most prominent mammals in a migration that includes zebras and Thompson's gazelle. Predators such as lions, hyenas and leopards closely follow the migratory herds hordes waiting for the perfect moment to attack.

Why are birds migration so spectacular?

This is not only because of the sheer numbers that fill the skies the each year, but also because of the tremendous distances they travel, the effort and teamwork involved and their methods of air navigation.

How has tracking migratory animals become easier?

Tracking migratory animals has become easier with the use of new technologies. However, we are still only beginning to understand some of the more complex parts of the process, such as how animals know when to migrate, where to go or how they navigate their way there.

What is the process of animals moving from one place to another?

Migration is the process by which animals move from one place to another, occupying each home territory for a limited time. Although it is usually used to refer to seasonal, repeated movements it can also mean one-time changes in location. There are several reasons for which animals migrate.

Why do animals migrate from one place to another?

However, it can also be caused by sudden or unnatural threats, such as human-led habitat destruction, which can displace animals and force them to move in search of a new home.

What is the most visible animal migration?

Wildebeest. GUDKOV ANDREY / Shutterstock. Perhaps the most visible animal migration is the journey of Africa's wildebeest herds, which travel annually by the millions in search of greener pastures. Millions of wildebeests suddenly start migrating at the same time each year.

Why are animal migrations important?

Massive animal migrations are among nature's most inspiring events. Whether by wing, fin, or hoof, the distance some creatures travel in search of new habitat is paralleled only by what they endure . Migrations also play a vital role in our natural ecosystems — they are the veins and arteries of Mother Earth — and they are a reminder ...

What are the dangers of a wildebeest migration?

Over 250,000 wildebeests fall victim to hungry predators and the other perils of migratory travel, such as drowning, starvation, and disease, along the way.

How far can dragonflies fly?

Scientists discovered a 14,000- to 18,000-kilometer dragonfly migration route that spanned from India to the Maldives, Seychelles, Mozambique, Uganda, and back again. One tiny species has a flying range of 4,400 miles or more over open ocean waters.

How far do caribou migrate?

North America's caribou populations migrate the farthest of any terrestrial mammal, a journey that can span more than 838 miles annually. This distance is significantly lower than the 3,000-mile distance scientists used in the past. Part of that reduction is due to improved data from GPS tracking, and unfortunately, the rest is due to climate change, which is also changing the timing of migration.

How far do whales travel?

One species of baleen whale, the gray whale, makes a 10,000- to 14,000-mile round trip on its annual migratory journey.

How far does the monarch butterfly migrate?

The annual monarch butterfly migration spans 3,000 miles and might be the most colorful migration in the natural world. The farthest tracked monarch flew 265 miles in one day. The monarch migration includes three to four generations and occasionally crosses the Atlantic Ocean.

What animals migrate?

Animal Migration. Some animals, such as the Galápagos tortoise ( Geochelone nigra ), live their entire lives in one place. Others, such as the monarch butterfly ( Sanaus plexippus) and Arctic tern ( Sterna paradisaea ), migrate. Animals have adapted to migrate based on seasonal or geographic variations. Humans have added barriers ...

Where do sperm whales meet?

Inhabiting warmer waters than the males who thrive in the Arctic, they must meet up in the middle near the Azores.