Since many species of wading and swimming birds can feed at all hours, they migrate either by day or night and do not seek places to hide from predators. Many people believe that birds fly very fast, even a mile a minute. While some birds do fly 60 miles per hour, most do not. Most birds have two ranges of flying speeds. The normal rate is for regular flying and the top speed is for escape from predators or for pursuing prey.
Most species migrate at a rate somewhere between their normal and top speeds.
Most shorebirds found at Sweetwater Marsh areas fly at about 45 mph during their migrations. A lesser yellowlegs was observed to travel 1,900 miles in six days, covering an average distance of 316 miles a day. While there are many benefits to the long migrations, there are also risks. Storms are one of the most dangerous threats to migrating birds. Storms can kill the birds outright or cause them to get lost and drown.