Birds: Bar-tailed Godwit breaks record for longest non-stop flight

At this time of year many millions of birds set off on their migrations.

Taking flight, they head for breeding grounds and places in which to feed for the next few months - many trying to escape the colder weather.

But one bird set off on a great journey of discovery... and smashed the record for a non-stop bird flight, racking up a whopping 13,560 kilometres over 11 days.

The bar-tailed godwit - a type of wetland bird - flew from Alaska but took an unexpected turn, and clocked up an extra 500km than it usually would!

In doing so, it broke the record that was also previously held by a godwit!

It's a journey that could have been deadly for the lucky young bird, but it managed to cross the vast Pacific Ocean safely.

Eric Woehler from Birdlife Tasmania said the bird probably lost "half or more of its body weight" during "continuous day and night flight".

Godwits typically travel to New Zealand, but somehow this young bird took a 90-degree turn and landed in eastern Tasmania, an island off the south coast of Australia!

In doing so, Dr Woehler said this "wrong turn" increased the assumed "flight capacity" of the species.

Researchers had tagged the godwit before its vast migration using a tiny satellite tracker weighing just 5 grams.

On a bird that weights only 300 grams, size is crucial and tech like this is making it easier for scientists to track and research smaller birdlife.

"The package has to be so small given this bird travels 12,000 kilometres. It can't have any impact on the migration or welfare of the birds."

Migratory birds are used to crossing continents and oceans to get to where they want to be for winter; feeding, breeding and making the return journey in the springtime.

But there are many hurdles and dangers along the way and they need to get it right - one wrong turn could spell disaster. Fortunately, this little one was lucky!

It remains a mystery how the birds are able to navigate such large distances without stopping and without getting lost.

According to the tracker on its back, the godwit set off from wetlands in Alaska on 13 October, travelling south-west past the Aleutian Islands and across the Pacific Ocean, west of the islands of Hawaii.

As it entered the island region of New Caledonia instead of continuing south to its expected destination of New Zealand, it headed west instead.

It eventually ended up in the Tasman Sea and the shores of Tasmania instead.

Other migratory birds DO fly to Tasmania to feed, so hopefully this little godwit is not alone and will be able fill its tummy, have a good rest and get ready to make it's next big journey successfully.

Whilst it's good that the little godwit has made it to dry land, researchers hope its journey will shine a light on how important it is to understand these great migrations, how these birds navigate, and what we can do to protect the habitats where they come to feed.

Data suggests that bird species are decreasing, so Dr Woehler says we need sit up and look at what bird migrations and populations are telling us.

"We need to understand how they feed, how they move and what their life cycles are in order to protect them."

"If birds are unable to build the energy reserve for their return flights to the northern hemisphere, they won't survive."