Why do animals migrate across vast distances?

Animals travel long ways to find better homes and more food.

Imagine you live in a small house that gets really cold in winter. You might decide to go on a trip to somewhere warmer, like your grandma’s house. That's what some animals do, they move from one place to another when the weather changes or when food runs out.

Some animals migrate because they need more food. Like how you might go to the store when you run out of snacks. A bird might fly south in winter so it can find nice, warm places with lots of berries and insects to eat.

Other animals move because they want a better place to live. It’s like moving from a small apartment to a bigger house. Some wildebeests in Africa walk hundreds of miles every year to find fresh grass and water, just like you might walk to the park when your neighborhood gets too crowded.

Migration can be really long, some animals fly thousands of miles! It’s like taking a super-long airplane trip, but they do it all by themselves. They use the stars, the sun, and even smells to help them find their way home.

Migration is like going on an adventure, just for better food and homes!