To be able to keep yourself awake for eleven days is nothing but amazing. To be able to keep yourself awake for eleven days while flying is even more amazing. A male bar-tailed godwit was just recorded doing those things as it migrated from Alaska to New Zealand. The bird flew over the Pacific Ocean and covered over 7,500 miles.
Last year, researchers from the Global Flyway Network, a conservation group that tracks the migration of shorebirds, tracked the bird by outfitting it with a custom set of colorful bands around its legs. The bird—known as 4BBRW for the colors of the bands on its legs: two blue, one red, and one white—was also equipped with a tiny satellite tag that tracked its every move. The data revealed that the bird reached a max speed of 55 miles per hour and flew nonstop for 11 days, likely without sleeping, reports George Dvorsky for Gizmodo.
The previous record was set by a female bar-tailed godwit in 2007 who flew 7,250 miles during her migration, reports Chris Baynes for the Independent. Scientists say that for this year’s record-breaker, strong easterly winds likely lengthened his journey, helping him break the record.
Now that’s awesome!
(Image Credit: Paul van de Velde/ Wikimedia Commons)