Animal migrations during the monsoon season

The rains bring with them a host of seasonal visitors. | Photo Credit: Vibhu H. While winter is the best-known season for mass migrations of animals to and from India, several interesting and unique migrations happen during the monsoon as well. Some birds and insects migrate from afar while others travel within the country.Jacobin Cuckoo A visitor from Africa | Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons This dapper black-and-white bird is a visitor from Africa. With a stylish crest and preference for caterpillars as food, this species of cuckoo lays its eggs in the nests of other birds. Known as Chatak in Hindi and Marathi, this bird has a special place in classical Indian literature due to its connection with the monsoon.Indian Pitta Known as Navrang for its colourful appearance | Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons A strikingly coloured bird, known as navrang, its distinct and loud ‘who-there’ calls echo in the forests of the Western Ghats, especially towards the north, and Central India. It can often be seen on the forest floor, hunting through the leaf litter for insects to eat.Wandering Glider One of the longest mass migrations in the world | Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons The final weeks of the monsoon mark one of the longest mass migrations in the world. Not of a bird or mammal but a small insect. Aptly named Wandering Glider, thousands of this species of dragonfly latch on the easterly winds and head to Africa from India. This journey is quite hazardous, as the same path is used by a migrant bird that preys on these insects: the Amur Falcon. The insects travel across generations, which means that adults that started the journey from India give birth on the way to a new generation that completes the migration to Africa.Blue Tiger From the hills to the plains | Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons Once the monsoon arrives, leaves and exposed stems in the plains are covered in a blue coat, as the Blue Tiger moves in from the Western Ghats. The mass migration of this butterfly is a sight to behold. It prefers to lay its eggs on the milkweed plant, which is quite abundant during the monsoon.For most monsoon migrants, the plentiful availability of insect food during this season makes it the perfect time to breed and lay eggs. So, which one of these will you look out for in the forests, grasslands, and lakes near your home? Published - July 17, 2026 09:30 am IST