Overview
- The bird, a bar-tailed godwit nicknamed B6, flew from Alaska to Tasmania without stopping for food, water or rest over 11 days.
- USGS satellite tags tracked the flight, and Max Planck Institute data pinpointed a departure from the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta on October 13 and an arrival at Ansons Bay on October 24.
- Researchers led by migration scientists Phil Battley and Jesse Conklin documented the record flight during the 2020 migration season.
- Scientists report extreme adaptations that enable the feat, including major fat buildup, temporary shrinking of digestive organs, unihemispheric sleep, and magnetic-field navigation.
- Experts such as BirdLife Tasmania’s Eric Woehler say it remains unclear whether this path reflects typical godwit migration or an anomalous route, underscoring the need to safeguard migratory corridors.