Summary
Seasonal long-distance movement guided by magnetic, celestial and olfactory cues.
In depth
Cues include day length, temperature, magnetic fields and star patterns. Fuel is stored as fat. Examples: Arctic terns fly about 70,000 km per year; wildebeest follow rains; salmon return to natal streams using smell.
Migration increases survival and breeding success. It carries risks. Climate change alters timing.
Key idea: migration follows resource availability.
Migration is a regular movement between areas that improves resources or breeding. Navigation uses the sun, stars (indigo buntings), polarised light, smell (salmon), landmarks and the Earth's magnetic field (magnetoreception, probably through cryptochrome proteins and magnetite). Long-distance migrants include Arctic terns (70,000 km per year), bar-tailed godwits (non-stop flight of over 11,000 km), monarch butterflies (multi-generational), wildebeest (about 1.5 million in Serengeti) and gray whales.
Genes control the urge and direction in some birds (blackcaps show an inherited migratory direction), while others learn routes from parents. Migration is risky, and threats include habitat loss at stopovers, barriers such as dams, light pollution and climate change shifting timing. Conservation needs protection along flyways.
Example: eels breed in the Sargasso Sea, and larvae drift to Europe or America to mature, then return.
Frequently asked questions
What is Animal Migration?
Seasonal long-distance movement guided by magnetic, celestial and olfactory cues.
Which area of biology covers Animal Migration, and how advanced is it?
Animal Migration is one of the 53 topics in Zoology & Animal Diversity. It is rated Intermediate, so it suits learners who already know the core vocabulary. Related topics in this area include Endangered Animal Biology, Life History Strategies, Hibernation and Torpor.
Can you give an example of Animal Migration?
Monarch butterflies take several generations to complete their round trip.
What should I learn before Animal Migration?
Work through the Beginner topics in Zoology & Animal Diversity first, such as Animal Kingdom, Vertebrates and Invertebrates, Sponges, then return to Animal Migration. Intermediate topics assume the Beginner vocabulary.
What topics are related to Animal Migration?
The closest topics to Animal Migration are Endangered Animal Biology, Life History Strategies, Hibernation and Torpor, Animal Excretion. Comparing them side by side is a good way to see how the ideas connect.
How can I check that I understand Animal Migration?
Read the summary and the in-depth section, then use the quick check on the interactive lesson for Animal Migration. To practise the whole of Zoology & Animal Diversity, use the Zoology & Animal Diversity quiz.
How is Animal Migration different from Endangered Animal Biology?
Animal Migration: Seasonal long-distance movement guided by magnetic, celestial and olfactory cues. Endangered Animal Biology: Small populations suffer inbreeding depression and demographic risks that conservation breeding tries to reduce. Read both side by side and note what each one explains.
How should I study Animal Migration step by step?
First, read the summary and write the definition in your own words. Second, read the in-depth section and note any example. Third, compare it with Endangered Animal Biology and explain the difference aloud. Finally, take the Zoology & Animal Diversity quiz and come back to this page for any question you miss.