Orange with 6Medias, published on Saturday 28 January 2023 at 21:40
Part of Alaska, a black-tailed godwit flew to Tasmania. Thanks to this uninterrupted flight of 11 days, the bird was included in the Guinness World Records, reports Ouest-France.
How surprised the scientists were when they found that the black-tailed godwit with the registration number “234684” had completed an incredibly long migratory flight on October 13, 2022.
To be more precise, 13,560 km non-stop! The 5-month-old bird has earned a place in the Guinness World Records, reports Ouest-France.
His journey started in Alaska to arrive in Tasmania, Australia. The flight lasted 11 days without a break. No stop, break or meal. “The distance traveled is equivalent to two and a half journeys between London and New York, or about a third of the entire circumference of the earth,” Guinness states on its website.
Black-tailed Godwits, specialists in long-haul flights
Black-tailed godwits are used to long, non-stop journeys. Another adult specimen of the same species had already set the previous record by covering 13,000 km in one go. These migratory birds have the ability to “radically alter their bodies and metabolism […] This allows black-tailed godwits to enlarge their heart and chest muscles in mid-flight to supply more energy and oxygen to these areas,” explains Guinness.
“All black-tailed godwits make long migrations, but those from Alaska make extraordinary flights,” says Maxime Zucca, ornithologist at Franceinfo. The reason ? Because between Alaska, where they nest, and New Zealand, where they winter, “there’s no place to rebuild fat stores, although there are a few atolls.” And a direct flight allows them to avoid contracting diseases and save time.