Destination is at the heart of every birds’ journey to the Arctic. This challenging journey demands a singular focus on the ultimate goal: arrival at their destination.
The birds that travel to the Arctic cover great distances, enduring hardships, delays, and even threats. However, once they begin their journey, equipped with an unwavering commitment to complete it, they cannot be deterred. The birds will not stop until they reach their Arctic destination.
We must be the same in pursuing our goal of protecting the Arctic from climate disaster. When faced with difficulties we must persevere, carried by the strength of our dedication and our vision to reach our destination. One day, like the migrating birds, we too will arrive at our goal—a protected, thriving Arctic.
First-year Glaucous Gull in flight near Jakobshavn Glacier. These gulls typically disperse across the North Atlantic for winter, returning to Arctic breeding grounds in spring. Greenland, 2024
Photography By Pamela EA
RESEARCH
Text by Nakia Randle
Research by Micheala Chan
Fact-checking by Hailey Basiouny
• Bird migration links ecosystems across the world. Following seasonally abundant resources, migrating birds interact with ecosystems across vast distances. Some Arctic birds make annual migrations of over 11,000 kilometers to the Arctic region.41
• We are witnessing a significant decline in birds that breed in the Arctic tundra. The population of many wader species (which are most at risk) have declined by 50 to 90 percent in recent decades.42
• 60 to 80 percent of High-Arctic breeding wader species may lose most of their suitable breeding areas in the next 50 years. This may disrupt species interactions, migration patterns and the strategies developed for the survival of their chicks.43
• Experiments have found that experienced migratory birds displaced thousands of kilometers away from migratory pathways can orient themselves and ultimately reach their destination. This suggests their navigational capabilities extend beyond reliance on familiar surroundings and information collected during the outbound journey.44
