One bird that can be described as a fighter jet because of its aerodynamic form has broken his world record for nonstop avian flight, covering 8,108 miles.
The tiny, solar-powered satellite tracker was carried by the bar-tailed godwit. It left Alaska on Sept 17th and flew for 239 hour on its long journey to Australia.
Four-breasted male bird known as 4BBRW was heading to New Zealand for summer, when winds in the Pacific forced him to detour. Now, the bird is in Australia.
A bar-tailed godwit, likened to a jet fighter for its aerodynamic shape, has beaten his own world record for non-stop avian flight with a journey of 8,108 miles
This godwit set a new 13-year record by flying 7,500 miles without stopping from Alaska to New Zealand.
Females may weigh in excess of 14 oz and 400g respectively. They love to gorge on insects, worms, and other molluscs. Their internal organs can be reduced to reduce the weight.
Experts liken these aircraft to jet fighters because of their pointed, long wings and sleek shapes.
In fact, the godwit flew 7500 miles without stopping from Alaska to New Zealand in the last year. This beats the original 13-year record that a female had set.
The Alaskan bar-tailed godwits are born, but they spend their Austral summers in New Zealand and Australia. They make the trip back and forth every year for the rest of their 22-year expected life span.
Annually, around 325,000 godwits travel the Yellow Sea from Alaska to mainland China. Then they move on to their summer home in the Yellow Sea.
Their fat reserves usually account for more than half their body weight before they fly.