Nature
Journey North
Kids report the monarchs, hummingbirds and other migrants they spot, then watch sightings sweep across a live map.
On Journey North, the first monarch of spring or a hummingbird at the feeder counts as data. The citizen science project tracks animal migrations and the turn of the seasons across North America, and when kids report a traveler in their area, the sighting joins thousands of others on a shared map. Returning to the map over a few weeks, they can watch monarchs push north from Mexico in spring and drift south again in fall, or hummingbirds show up state by state. Running since 1994, the project draws everyone from kindergarten classes to retirees, and the reporting looks deliberately simple. A backyard glimpse becomes part of a dataset scientists use, which seems to give kids a real reason to keep an eye on the garden and the sky.
- Ages
- Families and classrooms who love to track nature
- Works on
- Web browser
- Topics
- Nature, Science
- Languages
- English
- Listed
- 2026-10-18
What kids do
- Report a monarch or hummingbird sighting
- Watch migrations move on the live map
- Track the first signs of spring
- Compare this year’s map with last year’s
Who it suits
Families and classrooms who love to track nature.
Notes for parents
Part of the Monarch Joint Venture, a partnership of agencies, nonprofits and universities. The sighting maps are open for anyone to browse.
What you need
- Web browser
- Internet connection
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