# Any bird species that migrate across the Atlantic?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-bird-species-that-migrate-across-the-atlantic/344962
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 17, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-bird-species-that-migrate-across-the-atlantic/344962 "2006-02-17T17:08:14Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@BluePitbull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BluePitbull)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-bird-species-that-migrate-across-the-atlantic/344962/1 "2006-02-17T17:08:14Z")
The thing about the Bird flu in Africa and Europe got me thinking, if there were no trans-atlantic flights or cruises, how will the Bird Flu get to North America/South America/Caribbean? Are there Trans-atlantic bird migrations?
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### Author:  [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-bird-species-that-migrate-across-the-atlantic/344962/2 "2006-02-17T17:26:53Z")
Yes, most notably the Common Ringed Plover and Northern Wheatear, which breed in Greenland and northern Canada but which migrate to Europe and Africa rather than to North America. There are quite a few other species, including shorebirds, wagtails, warblers, and others that breed in western Alaska but migrate to Asia. Likewise, some individuals of some species breeding in Europe or western Asia regularly end up wintering in North America.
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### Author:  [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)
#### Post date: [February 17, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-bird-species-that-migrate-across-the-atlantic/344962/3 "2006-02-17T22:25:30Z")
> [@BluePitbull](#):
>
> The thing about the Bird flu in Africa and Europe got me thinking, if there were no trans-atlantic flights or cruises, how will the Bird Flu get to North America/South America/Caribbean? Are there Trans-atlantic bird migrations?
Note that as soon as human-to-human transmission develops – and it is possible at any time, and might have happened already – there are tons of humans migrating across the Atlantic.
Birds may prove to be the least of our worries.
Sailboat
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### Author:  [@Speaker\_for\_the\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Speaker_for_the_Dead)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2006, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-bird-species-that-migrate-across-the-atlantic/344962/4 "2006-02-18T01:29:30Z")
You’re right, **Sailboat** , which is why **BluePitbull** added the condition of “no trans-atlantic flights or cruises”.
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### Author:  [@Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buckler_of_Swashing)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-bird-species-that-migrate-across-the-atlantic/344962/5 "2006-02-18T01:38:47Z")
Steel yourselves for some Monty Python jokes…