A juvenile Bar-tailed Godwit has shattered the world record for the longest non-stop flight ever recorded by a bird. Known by its tracking tag "234684," the 5-month-old bird departed from Alaska and landed in Tasmania, Australia, 11 days and one hour later. It covered a staggering 8,425 miles (13,560 km) without landing once for food, water, or rest. To put that in perspective, that is the equivalent of flying nearly a third of the way around the entire planet in a single, continuous journey.
The biology behind this feat is almost unbelievable. Before the trip, the Godwit essentially turned itself into a flying fuel tank, with nearly half of its body weight consisting of stored fat. To make room for this fuel and to lighten the load, the bird’s internal organs, including its stomach, gizzard, and liver, actually shriveled and shrank in size. During the flight, the bird did not glide like an albatross; it flapped its wings for the entire 11-day duration, navigating through wind, rain, and shifting weather patterns over the open Pacific Ocean.
Scientists tracking the bird through the Pūkorokoro Auckland Shorebird Centre noted that this was a high-risk journey for such a young individual. Unlike older birds that might follow established routes, this juvenile successfully navigated the vast ocean on its very first try. The discovery of this record-breaking flight has completely changed our understanding of avian endurance, proving that these "athletes of the sky" possess an internal navigation system and physical stamina that rivals the world's most advanced aerospace technology.
This Alaska-born bird flew 8,500 miles to Tasmania, and we’re still not totally sure how it did it, by Casey Grove, 11/08/22
750 miles per day for 11 days, no rest, by Ned Rozell, 11/03/22
A juvenile shorebird tagged in Alaska flew nonstop for 11 days and arrived in Tasmania, by Emily Mesner, 10/30/22
Juvenile Bird Breaks Nonstop Flight Record, Covering 8,400 Miles in 11 Days, by Pandora Dewan, 10/31/22
Podcast: From Alaska to New Zealand, the bar-tailed godwit, interviewed by Ned Rozell, 1/3/2022
Shorebirds depend on wee slivers of Alaska, by Ned Rozell, 11/4/2021
Climate Tracker: Bar-tailed Godwit breaks world record, flies from Alaska to Tasmania
Bar-tailed Godwit has broken a world record after flying from Alaska to Tasmania. Godwits flies non-stop for 11 days covering 13,560 KM.
A four-month-old bar-tailed godwit known as B6 set a new world record by completing a non-stop 11-day migration of 8,425 miles from Alaska to Tasmania, Australia. This trip represents the longest documented non-stop flight by any animal!
By Alaska Science Center November 3, 2022
https://www.usgs.gov/centers/alaska-science-center/news/juvenile-bar-tailed-godwit-b6-sets-world-record
