Skip to content
animal migration

File:Greater_white-fronted_goose_(32014381228).jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

EntityQ193145· pop 57· linked from 419 articles

animal migration

Sign in to save

Also known as migration, migration of animals

movement of animals from place to place, usually seasonal

AI overview

Animal migration is the seasonal movement of animals from one place to another, typically driven by changing environmental conditions throughout the year. It matters because it allows animals to find food, suitable habitats, and breeding grounds as seasons change, helping them survive and reproduce successfully.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Research

40,296 papers

via PubMed

Wikidata facts

Image
Connochaetes taurinus -Wildebeest crossing river -East Africa.jpg
Show 1 more fact
Commons category
Animal migration
Sources (2)

via Wikidata · CC0

~15 min read

Article

Goose migration is an iconic phenomenon in the Northern Hemisphere. Animal migration is the relatively long-distance movement of individual animals, usually on a seasonal basis. It is the most common form of migration in ecology. It is found in all major animal groups, including birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and crustaceans. The cause of migration may be local climate, local availability of food, the season of the year or for mating.

To be counted as a true migration, and not just a local dispersal or irruption, the movement of the animals should be an annual or seasonal occurrence, or a major habitat change as part of their life. An annual event could include Northern Hemisphere birds migrating south for the winter, or wildebeest migrating annually for seasonal grazing. A major habitat change could include young Atlantic salmon or sea lamprey leaving the river of their birth when they have reached a few inches in size. Some traditional forms of human migration fit this pattern.

Gallery (8)

Connections

Categories