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Bird flies over 7,500 miles, 224 hours non-stop

Posted at 10:24 AM, Oct 14, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-14 12:24:26-04

AUCKLAND, New Zealand — A record-breaking bird set an incredible mark by flying over 7,500 miles non-stop from Alaska to New Zealand.

The bar-tailed godwit was tracked with a satellite tag as it made its way from southwest Alaska to Auckland, a trip of 7,580 miles, the Guardian reports.

The trip started on Sept. 16 and finished 11 days later, which equals 224 hours of non-stop flying. The bird was one of four that left Alaska together, but was apparently the only one to complete the journey.

According to the report, bar-tailed godwits weigh less than a pound, but can double in size by eating before a flight.

The previous record for avian non-stop flight was 7,257 miles in 2007...