Gobsmacked by the Godwit

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4736979a7693.html


Scientists are marvelling over a small female bar-tailed godwit somewhere in New Zealand who has a world record for non-stop flying – an epic 11,200 kilometres.

"A major international study into the birds has been published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B and it offers an explanation as to why the godwits fly so far from Alaska to New Zealand in a single bound.

The birds flew non-stop for up to and covered more than 11,200km. The flight path shows the birds did not feed en route and would be unlikely to sleep.

The study, which involved scientists from around the world, electronically tagged godwits and tracked them, both from New Zealand to Alaska, via Asia and, more recently, from Alaska back to New Zealand direct.

One of the birds, a female called E7, set the record of flying the furthest in eight days across the Pacific."

To make it even more amazing, the godwit appears to have evolved for wading as well as long range flight.

I always the get the impression with stories like this that the scientists are missing something.

905 wrote:

I always the get the impression with stories like this that the scientists are missing something.

They are missing a kick in the hole. Who gives a donkeys how far a bird flew. Any chance of a solution for starving children there Mr. Useless Scientist ?

905 wrote:

I always the get the impression with stories like this that the scientists are missing something.

Hitching a ride on a 747?