Biology
Energetics of Long-Distance Migration in Bar-tailed Godwits
Quick fact
Bar-tailed godwits perform the longest nonstop flight of any land bird, covering over 11,000 km (nearly 7,000 miles) from Alaska to New Zealand in roughly 8–9 days, fueled entirely by fat reserves that can nearly double their body weight.
Why this is interesting
Every year, a bird weighing less than a pound flies nonstop for eight days across the Pacific Ocean—farther than the distance from London to New York. How does it survive without eating, drinking, or even pausing to rest?