15 Beautiful Birds to Spot on World Migratory Bird Day

World Migratory Bird Day is the Super Bowl for birdwatchers—and trust me, it’s more exciting than it sounds. Whether you’re a seasoned birder or just looking for an excuse to drag the kids outside (screens off, binoculars on!), this day is all about appreciating the incredible feathered travelers flying through our skies. Some of these birds rack up more frequent flier miles than most of us do in a decade, and they’re passing right over our heads as they do it. So grab your field guide, a thermos of something warm, and check out these 15 amazing migratory birds you can spot across the U.S. this season!

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Tiny, but mighty! These glittering green gems zip up from Central America and Mexico to breed across the eastern U.S. and even into southern Canada. They’re usually solo flyers, stopping for sugar water or nectar in bright flowers. Blink and you’ll miss em—they’re that quick.

Sandhill Crane

If your kids love dinosaurs, show them these long-legged relics from the past. According to the National Wildlife Federation, for about a month each March, more than 500,000 sandhill cranes converge on the Platte River basin in Nebraska to rest and eat before they finish their migration to their northern breeding grounds and are known to fly in huge V formations.

Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow is the acrobat of the bird world—zipping, diving, and looping through the air like it’s performing in a sky-high circus. With their shiny blue backs, cinnamon-colored throats, and long, forked tails, they’re easy to recognize and fun to watch. Barn Swallow breeds across the Northern Hemisphere and winters in the Southern Hemisphere as far away as Argentina and Australia (World Migratory Bird Day, 2024).

Yellow Warbler

If you’re looking for a burst of sunshine on a dreary day, the Yellow Warbler is your feathered friend! These vibrant little birds brighten up the landscape with their golden-yellow feathers and soft, sweet song. It nests from Alaska to northern South America (including the Galápagos Islands), and in much of the Caribbean, and winters as far south as Peru.

Common Nighthawk

Don’t let the name fool you—these birds are anything but basic. Nighthawks have erratic, bat-like flight and appear mostly at dawn and dusk. American Bird Conservancy notes that Common Nighthawks have one of the longest migration routes of all North American birds, and move early, beginning to travel south in August.

American Redstart

These stunning warblers are like little fireballs, flitting around in the understory with their bold colors flashing as they go. American Redstart breeds across much of the central United States and southern Canada, and migrates to wintering grounds in Central America, northern South America, and the Caribbean. Their flashy tail flicking is part of their hunting strategy, as they chase after insects hiding in the leaves.

Black-and-white Warbler

These little guys look like zebra finches but act like tree creepers, climbing up and down trunks in search of bugs. These birds winter in the coastal southeastern United States, as well as throughout Central America, the West Indies, and northwestern South America, according to the American Bird Conservancy.

Indigo Bunting

Bright blue and bold as ever, indigo buntings are like flying sapphires. They winter in southern Florida to northern South America. Listen for their bubbly, musical songs in brushy fields and along woodland edges. They love open fields, country roads, and brushy woodland edges, where their cheerful, chattery song fills the summer air. Catching sight of one feels like discovering a secret treasure—especially if the kids are the first to spot that flash of blue!

Swainson’s Hawk

Swainson’s Hawks are the ultimate long-distance migrants—think of them as the backpacking adventurers of the bird world. Swainson’s Hawks migrate from North America to Argentina starting in late August and September. They’re usually found soaring over prairies, farmland, and deserts, scanning for insects and small critters.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Dressed like a dapper gentleman heading to a fancy garden party, the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is pure birding elegance. During migration, the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is found throughout the U.S. east of the Rockies. Their rich, melodic song sounds a lot like a robin with opera training—it’s a beautiful soundtrack for spring mornings.

Scarlet Tanager

The Scarlet Tanager is a long-distance migrant and it looks like it flew straight out of a tropical postcard—bright red body, jet-black wings, and a whole lot of wow. During migration, the birds fly mostly at night, and makes the journey between the eastern United States and lowland South American forests twice a year.

Western Tanager

Western Tanager looks like a flame dancing through the trees that’s impossible to miss. They are a long-distance migrant and usually migrate at night. According to Animal Diversity Web, Western Tanagers’ main residency and breeding territory is in the far northern region of Canada, and they migrate south during the winter. However, they have been known to breed in their wintering regions of South America.

Purple Martin

America’s largest swallow, the purple martin, has a glossy, dark-blue shine and a love of backyard birdhouses. The purple martin may be one of the friendliest birds you can encounter. The migration routes that individual martins take will vary from year to year, or even within the same breeding season, as pointed out by the Purple Martin Conservation Association’s study.

Eastern Kingbird

The eastern kingbird is a long-distance migrant and usually migrates during the day. Their black-and-white look is classic, but their attitude is anything but mild—they’ll fearlessly chase off crows and hawks twice their size. Despite their size, they’ve been spotted chasing off hawks and crows that come too close to their nests.

Red-eyed Vireo

The Red-eyed Vireo may not flash bright colors, but this little songbird more than makes up for it with its nonstop chatter and sweet, musical phrases. Red-eyed Vireos leave the U.S. and Canada each fall to spend winters in the Amazon basin of South America. This type of bird joins the list of long-distance migrant birds.

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