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Animal lists · 12 entries

Animals That Migrate

Migratory animals — from Arctic terns and humpback whales to monarch butterflies and wildebeest — make regular seasonal movements between breeding and feeding areas, defined here as repeated, population-level travel rather than one-off dispersal.

Updated 25 July 2026

Migration is regular, seasonal and population-level — not the same as dispersal, nomadism or irruption. A young wolf leaving its natal pack is dispersing. A herd of wildebeest circling the Serengeti every year is migrating. The distinction matters because migration implies predictable routes and timing shaped by evolution.

This list includes representative migratory species across birds, mammals, fish, insects and marine life. Distance varies from thousands of kilometres to altitudinal shifts of a few hundred metres. For the longest distances, see the longest-migrations list.

How this list was compiled

Entries are species that make regular, repeated seasonal movements between distinct areas — typically breeding and feeding grounds. One-off dispersal, random nomadism and irruptive movements are excluded. Partial migrations, where only part of a population moves, are noted. Altitudinal migrations are included where they represent a consistent seasonal pattern.

Animals That Migrate

  1. Arctic tern

    Long-distance; pole to pole

    The longest migration of any animal — roughly 70,000 to 90,000 km annually.

  2. Humpback whale

    Oceanic; breeding to feeding grounds

    Travels from tropical lagoons to polar feeding areas annually.

  3. Monarch butterfly

    Multi-generational; North America

    Three to four generations complete the round trip. No single individual makes the full journey.

  4. Wildebeest

    Terrestrial loop; Serengeti

    Roughly 1.8 million animals circulate the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem annually.

  5. Salmon

    Anadromous; ocean to river

    Born in rivers, mature in oceans, return to natal streams to spawn and die.

  6. Caribou

    Terrestrial; tundra herds

    Barren-ground herds travel up to 5,000 km annually — the longest land migration.

  7. Swallow

    Long-distance; intercontinental

    European swallows winter in sub-Saharan Africa, crossing the Sahara and Mediterranean.

  8. Eel

    Catadromous; river to ocean

    European and American eels spawn in the Sargasso Sea after years in freshwater.

  9. Gray whale

    Coastal; Arctic to tropics

    Eastern Pacific population migrates roughly 16,000 km round trip annually.

  10. Leatherback turtle

    Oceanic; nesting to feeding

    Trans-Pacific movements between nesting beaches and deep-water jellyfish foraging.

  11. Snow goose

    Medium-distance; flyway

    Breeds in Arctic tundra, winters in southern North America along established flyways.

  12. Zebra

    Terrestrial; with wildebeest

    Plains zebras migrate alongside wildebeest in the Serengeti, following rain and grass growth.

Key facts

  • Migration is regular, seasonal and repeated — distinct from one-off dispersal or random nomadism.
  • Birds, whales, fish, insects and mammals all migrate using different navigational cues including magnetoreception and star patterns.
  • Monarch butterflies complete their migration over multiple generations — no single butterfly makes the round trip.
  • Anadromous fish such as salmon migrate from ocean to river; catadromous eels do the reverse.
  • Terrestrial mammal migrations such as wildebeest and caribou follow seasonal grass and weather patterns.
  • For the longest individual migration distances, see the longest-migrations list — Arctic terns lead by a wide margin.

Animals That Migrate: frequently asked questions

What animals migrate?
Birds, whales, fish, insects and mammals all include migratory species. Examples range from Arctic terns and humpback whales to monarch butterflies, salmon and wildebeest.
Why do animals migrate?
To access seasonal food resources, reach breeding grounds, or avoid harsh weather. Migration trades the cost of travel against the benefit of better conditions elsewhere.
How do migrating animals navigate?
Using multiple cues: Earth's magnetic field, star patterns, the sun, landmarks, and smell in the case of salmon returning to natal streams.
Do all butterflies migrate?
No. The monarch is the most famous migratory butterfly, but most species do not migrate. Monarch migration spans multiple generations.
What is the difference between migration and dispersal?
Migration is regular, seasonal and predictable at the population level. Dispersal is a one-off movement, typically by young animals leaving their birthplace.
Do fish migrate?
Yes. Salmon migrate from ocean to river to spawn. Eels do the opposite — living in rivers and migrating to the Sargasso Sea to breed. Many marine fish move seasonally between feeding areas.

Sources

How we check facts: our sourcing standards →

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