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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Environment
Graham Readfearn

Bar-tailed godwit sets world record with 13,560km continuous flight from Alaska to southern Australia

A bar-tailed godwit flying against a blue sky showing its transition from summer to winter plumage
A juvenile bar-tailed godwit has flown from Alaska in the US to Tasmania in Australia, covering a record 13,560kms without stopping. Photograph: Johnny Madsen/Alamy

A juvenile bar-tailed godwit – known only by its satellite tag number 234684 – has flown 13,560 kilometres from Alaska to the Australian state of Tasmania without stopping, appearing to set a new world record for marathon bird flights.

The five-month-old bird set off from Alaska on 13 October and satellite data appeared to show it did not stop during its marathon flight which took 11 days and one hour.

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