A bar-tailed godwit has completed an extraordinary nonstop migration from western Alaska to New Zealand, covering about 11,680 kilometers, or 7,250 miles, across the Pacific Ocean. Researchers tracked the female shorebird with a satellite transmitter as it flew all the way to the North Island of New Zealand without stopping.
The journey lasted more than eight days, making it a remarkable example of long-distance bird migration. During that time, the bird did not land and survived the entire crossing without eating or drinking, relying instead on energy reserves built up before departure.
Scientists say the pigeon-sized godwit prepares for this kind of flight by reshaping its body ahead of migration. It stores large amounts of fat to use as fuel, allowing it to stay airborne for more than a week over open ocean where there is no chance to rest or feed.
The tracked flight highlights the extreme endurance of the bar-tailed godwit and the value of satellite monitoring in understanding migration. It also underscores how precisely adapted some shorebirds are for some of the longest unbroken journeys in the natural world.
