The world of bird migration
At BirdRun© we celebrate the extraordinary world of bird migration. We want to bring their wonderful journeys and fascinating facts to life. Birds and animals do some amazing and fantastic things, from remarkable feats of endurance to quirky peccadillos nature has a way of making us stop, think and admire.
| Bird | Wingspan (cm) | Longest journey (miles) | Size of clutch (eggs) AVG | Lifespan (years) AVG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Andean cock-of-the-rock Rupicola peruvianus | 45 | 1.85 | 2 | 11 |
 | Arctic tern Sterna paradisaea | 70 | 24,855 | 2.5 | 30 |
 | Atlantic puffin Fratercula arctica | 54 | 4,785 | 1 | 35 |
 | Bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica | 75 | 6,897 | 4 | 5 |
 | Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla | 21 | 1,300 | 5 | 5 |
 | Blue manakin Chiroxiphia caudata | 22 | 0.65 | 2 | 14 |
 | Blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus | 18 | 460 | 9.5 | 2.25 |
 | Blue-footed booby Sula nebouxii | 150 | 621 | 2 | 17 |
 | California condor Gymnogyps californianus | 300 | 311 | 1 | 50 |
 | Common cuckoo Cuculus canorus | 57 | 4,971 | 17 | 7 |
 | Common swift Apus apus | 36 | 6,500 | 2 | 5 |
 | Emperor penguin Aptenodytes forsteri | 76 | 932 | 1 | 20 |
 | European starling Sturnus vulgaris | 37 | 932 | 4.5 | 2.5 |
 | Great bustard Otis tarda | 240 | 1,243 | 2 | 15 |
 | Greater sage-grouse Centrocercus urophasianus | 94 | 6.25 | 7 | 4.5 |
 | Hoatzin Opisthocomus hoazin | 95 | 1.25 | 2.5 | 15 |
 | House martin Delichon urbicum | 27 | 7,000 | 5 | 2 |
 | House sparrow Passer domesticus | 23 | 62 | 4.5 | 3 |
 | Kakapo Strigops habroptila | 90 | 4.50 | 2 | 100 |
 | Long-wattled umbrellabird Cephalopterus penduliger | 68 | 1.25 | 1 | 12 |
 | Magnificent bird-of-paradise Cicinnurus magnifieus | 35 | 1.25 | 2 | 12 |
 | Magnificent frigatebird Fregata magnificens | 231 | 2,734 | 1 | 30 |
 | Mandarin duck Aix galericulata | 70 | 1,864 | 10.5 | 6 |
 | Northern bobwhite Colinus virginiatus | 36 | 6.25 | 14 | 3.5 |
 | Northern mockingbird Mimus polyglottos | 34 | 621 | 4 | 8 |
 | Ostrich Struthio camelus | 200 | 186 | 20 | 35 |
 | Philippine eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi | 202 | 6.20 | 1.5 | 35 |
 | Ruby-throated hummingbird Archilochus colubris | 10 | 2,175 | 2 | 7 |
 | Ruff Calidris pugnax | 57 | 9,321 | 4 | 4.4 |
 | Secretarybird Sagittarius serpentarius | 201 | 93 | 2.5 | 12.5 |
 | Sulphur-crested cockatoo Cacatua galerita | 103 | 31 | 2.5 | 70 |
 | Superb lyrebird Manura novaehollandiae | 88 | 1.25 | 1 | 22.5 |
 | Swallow Hirundo rustica | 33 | 9,000 | 5 | 3 |
 | Turtle dove Streptopelia turtur | 49 | 3,479 | 1.5 | 2.5 |
 | Wandering albatross Diomedea exulans | 370 | 18,641 | 1 | 60 |
 | Whooping crane Grus americana | 230 | 2,485 | 1.5 | 23 |
5,000,000 annual migrations
Their feats of stamina, endurance and persistence are extraordinary. Around 40% of all birds are migratory species. They are constantly on the move looking for the best locations to feed and breed. Which means the sheer volume of movement all around us is incredible.
When will the Swifts arrive in 2025?
Weighing less than a chicken’s egg, swifts fly over 6,500 miles.
In 2024 the swifts arrived in the UK in late April. First sightings in Bristol were on 23rd April. Swifts normally arrive from the end of April to mid May every year and return in mid July.
Some amazing migration facts
The Bar-tailed godwithas the longest non-stop migration: 7,580 miles in 11 days
The Swiftsleeps in flight resting half its brain at a time
The flightless Adélie Penguinmigrates too! Trekking over 8,000 miles every year