Which songbird migrates the longest distance of any land bird, from the Arctic to Africa?

The northern wheatear is the songbird that makes one of the longest migrations, traveling between Arctic breeding grounds and Africa.

This small passerine weighs roughly 25 grams, yet some populations complete an annual round trip of about 30,000 km. Alaskan birds cross Siberia, the Arabian Desert and eastern Africa; Greenland birds may cross the North Atlantic between breeding and wintering areas.

The wording matters: the northern wheatear is famed for the longest recorded migration among songbirds, not all birds. Arctic terns travel farther overall, while the wheatear’s remarkable distinction is its combination of distance, body size and songbird status. It is an insect-eater that breeds in open, rocky habitats and winters mainly in sub-Saharan Africa.