Record of flying : Can you imagine that someone can fly in the sky for 11 consecutive days without eating or drinking anything, without stopping for a moment? Leave aside humans, even good airplanes will surrender in such a long journey. It is impossible to fly such a distance in one go, but a small ‘Baahubali’ of nature has done this feat.
A 4-month-old bird named ‘B6’ has surprised the whole world and scientists by flying continuously for 13,560 kilometers from Alaska to Tasmania in Australia.
This miraculous bird belongs to the Bar-tailed Godwit species. It is famous all over the world for its long migratory journey. When it made this world record (in the year 2022), it was only four months old. The US Geological Survey (USGS) had placed a satellite tag on this bird, through which this historic flight was tracked.
Traveled across the sea at a speed of 55
This species usually breeds in Arctic regions (Alaska and Siberia) and migrates to New Zealand and Australia in winter. Their normal route from Alaska to New Zealand is about 11,000 kilometers, which they complete in 9 days without stopping. But B6 made the biggest record in the animal world by flying 13,560 kilometers over the Pacific Ocean. Their speed during flight is more than 55 kilometers per hour.
body parts shortened
While passing over the Pacific Ocean, this bird had neither any land to rest nor any means of food and drink. For this ‘super-marathon’, B6 feasted heavily in Alaska and ate so much that half of its weight became only fat. To reduce weight and save energy during flight, this bird shrank its internal organs (such as stomach and liver). This unique trick helps it burn the stored fat efficiently.
GPS is fitted in the eyes
How can one reach Tasmania directly without getting lost over such a vast ocean where there is no way? The answer is the bird’s in-built navigation system! B6 used the Earth’s magnetic field as a natural compass. Its eyes contain special proteins called ‘Cryptochromes’, which sense these magnetic fields.
Apart from this, these birds also use the stars, the position of the sun and even smell to navigate.
complete sleep while flying
The most surprising thing is that how did this bird sleep without stopping for 11 days? Actually, they complete their sleep while flying in the air. This is called ‘unihemispheric sleep’. In this process, half of the bird’s brain falls asleep, while the other part remains fully alert for flying, i.e. in simple words, ‘sleeping with one eye open’.
To save energy, they also change their altitude depending on the area; They fly high over hot deserts to stay cool, and fly low to take advantage of air flow over water.
