About
Bird migration is one of nature's most extraordinary phenomena. Over 4,000 species (40% of all birds) migrate seasonally. The Arctic tern makes the longest migration — 90,000 km round trip from Arctic to Antarctic and back annually. Bar-tailed godwits fly non-stop from Alaska to New Zealand (11,000 km) in 9 days without eating, drinking, or sleeping.
Birds navigate using a combination of stars, the Sun's position, Earth's magnetic field, landmarks, smell, and infrasound. Migratory birds can detect Earth's magnetic field through quantum mechanical effects in their eyes — a form of compass that still isn't fully understood. Approximately 1.5 billion birds die during migration annually from predation, exhaustion, and collision with human infrastructure.
# Top 10 Migration of Birds facts
- 1Arctic terns fly 90,000 km round trip from Arctic to Antarctic every year — the longest migration of any animal
- 2Bar-tailed godwits fly non-stop from Alaska to New Zealand — 11,000 km in 9 days without eating
- 3Birds partly navigate using quantum mechanics — magnetoreception in their eyes works via quantum entanglement
Fascinating Facts
- ◆Arctic terns fly 90,000 km round trip from Arctic to Antarctic every year — the longest migration of any animal
- ◆Bar-tailed godwits fly non-stop from Alaska to New Zealand — 11,000 km in 9 days without eating
- ◆Birds partly navigate using quantum mechanics — magnetoreception in their eyes works via quantum entanglement
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