In a remarkable display of migratory power, a five-month-old male bar-tailed godwit has set a new world record for the longest non-stop flight by any bird. The juvenile bird flew an astonishing 13,560 kilometers (8,425 miles) from Alaska to Tasmania, Australia, without stopping for food or rest over a period of 11 days.

The young godwit, known by its satellite tag number “234684,” surpassed the previous record—held by an adult of the same species—by over 350 kilometers. The journey, which began on October 13, 2022, was meticulously tracked by a 5G satellite tag attached to its lower back by a team of scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and the Max Planck Institute. The data revealed that the bird, which normally migrates to New Zealand, took a sharp 90-degree turn over the Pacific Ocean, which ultimately led it to its record-setting destination.

This extraordinary feat is a testament to the biological marvels of the bar-tailed godwit. These birds prepare for their marathon flights by doubling their body weight in fat stores and even shrinking internal organs to lighten the load. Unlike seabirds that can rest on the water, the bar-tailed godwit is a wader with no webbed feet, meaning that stopping on the ocean surface is not an option.

This record provides crucial new insights into the navigational instincts of juvenile birds, which migrate weeks after their parents, often on their own or with other first-time fliers.