Welcome back to another fun-filled week of animal facts. We are going to start the week off with the record-breaking bird known as the Bar-Tailed Gotwit. What spectacular record do they own? What kind of suspenseful blog would this be if I told you the answer in the first paragraph? You are going to have to keep reading to find out what makes the Bar-Tailed Gotwit so amazing. During mating season you can find this bird hanging out in the beautiful Arctic regions, however, as winter rolls around they can be found relaxing in the tropical regions of the Old World. Since it is still winter…..I guess we are going somewhere warm today!

The Journey Home

Okay, I can’t handle the suspense any longer. The Bar-Tailed Gotwit actually owns two…yes, two records. First, they are known to make the longest non-stop flight of any bird species. And secondly they make the longest journey without stopping to feed of any animal! This is quite impressive when you realize that they travel more than 11, 680 km (7,258 miles) non-stop from Alaska to New Zealand. To provide even more perspective on this amazing feat…the Bar-Tailed Gotwit is flying for 8 days straight (and they do this twice a year). Believe it or not, this bird travels further, without stopping,  than any man-made aircraft we utilize today. I am assuming the Bar-Tailed Gotwit does not bring their children along for the flight since there is no way you could travel over 11,000 kilometres continuously with your kids asking “Are we there yet?…..Are we there yet?”

How Is It Possible?

So how does the Bar-Tailed Gotwit travel such long distances without stopping for a quick bite to eat? Red-Bull and Coffee! Yes, I am kidding. In all seriousness, this particular bird uses incredibly low amounts of energy. So what makes them so energy efficient? You guys are asking all the right questions today! There are a few things that make them so efficient such as the proper ratio of body weight to size and flight speed. These two factors allow them to store enough body fat, which equates to energy, as well as fly quickly so they are able to get to their destination sooner. Researchers believe there is more to the success of this long, non-stop flight then just body weight and flight speed, however, they aren’t sure what it is. One theory suggests that the Bar-Tailed Gotwit has an incredible internal compass that allows them to efficiently use the Earth’s magnetic field to their benefit.

No matter how they do it, I bet they rush to the restroom when the get there.