A young shorebird stunned scientists after it completed one of the longest non-stop migratory flights ever recorded. The four-month old bird flew an astonishing 13,560 kilometres from Alaska to Tasmania without stopping for food, water or rest, setting a new record in 2022.
Scientists tracked the Bar-tailed Godwit named B6 using a satellite tag attached by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Similarly, scientists were surprised when three Amur falcons tagged in India managed to fly nearly 5,000 kilometres in just five days. During this journey, they often fly non-stop over large stretches of water, including the Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean, before reaching East Africa.
But how do these birds manage such long flights?
Some birds, especially migratory ones like godwits, do incredible things to survive long journeys, according to The Guinness World Records.
Their bodies can change quickly to handle extreme conditions like flying thousands of miles without rest or food. Some migratory birds can fly for days with almost no sleep.
Birds like godwits temporarily shrink parts of their body, which frees up space and energy, making them lighter and more efficient for flying long distances. Before migration, godwits shrink about 25 per cent of their liver, kidneys and digestive system. While flying, godwits can make their hearts and chest muscles bigger.
Before migration, birds eat a lot and store energy as fat. During the flight, they burn this fat to fuel themselves.
"Short-tailed shearwaters and mutton birds can land on the water and feed. If a godwit lands on water, it's dead. It doesn't have the webbing in its feet; it has no way of getting off. So if it falls onto the ocean's surface from exhaustion, or if bad weather forces it to land, that's the end," said Birdlife Tasmania convenor Eric Woehler.
Amur falcons are colourful, social birds that travel in huge groups and help control insects while flying long distances. During migration, they reportedly hunt flying insects like dragonflies, beetles, moths, and other bugs, which helps reduce pests naturally along their route.
