and Their Fascinating Migratory Patterns
Every Spring, something amazing happens in the skies over the Pacific Northwest. Millions of birds begin a journey north, flying from their winter homes in Hawaii and Central America all the way to their breeding grounds in Alaska. Among these migrants are the Pacific godwits, a type of shorebird with one of the longest migratory patterns of any animal on Earth.
Godwits breed in large colonies on tidal flats and along riverbanks in Alaska. In the fall, they leave their breeding grounds and fly south for the winter. Some godwits spend the entire winter in Hawaii, while others migrate all the way to Central America or even as far as South America. The longest recorded journey made by a Pacific godwit was over 7,000 miles!
How do they do it?
Scientists aren’t entirely sure how Pacific godwits are able to make such long journeys. It is believed that they use a combination of cues from the sun, stars, and Earth’s magnetic field to navigate. Some researchers think that they may also be able to sense changes in air pressure or day length to help them know when it’s time to migrate.
Whatever the case may be, one thing is for sure: The Pacific godwit’s migrating patterns are truly fascinating, and a sight to behold for bird lovers everywhere. So if you’re ever in the Pacific Northwest during the Spring Migration season, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for these amazing birds!
Fox News reported the other day that a new record had been set by one of these amazing birds.
“A bird has flown non-stop, apparently, from Alaska to the Australian state of Tasmania. And now this young bar-tailed godwit — a member of the sandpiper family — appears to have set a non-stop distance record for migratory birds. It flew at least 13,560 kilometers — or 8,435 miles — during that flight, a bird expert said on Friday, as the Associated Press reported.”
The bird started off on its southwestern course towards Japan but then turned southeast over Alaska’s Aleutian Islands. This is according to a map published by New Zealand’s Puke additional Shorebird Centre which shows where they are currently located in relation with other areas that have been mapped out for birds like this one.