Swift Record! Migrating Birds Fly Nonstop for 6 Months.

[Lodhi]

Flying Alpine swifts stay airborne for 200 days in longest recorded flight made by any bird

• Scientists found that three Alpine swifts travelled 1,240 miles non-stop
• The birds were found to eat and drink while in the air by Swiss researchers
• Instead of resting at night, data collected suggested they carried on gliding

Researchers who tracked a group of migrating birds have discovered that they flew for 200 days non-stop between Africa and Europe.
Scientists say that the 1,240-mile flight carried out by three Alpine Swifts is the longest recorded flight made by any bird.
Although experts have speculated that a related species, the common swift, remains airborne for much of the year, the latest research is the first to provide data over such a long period.

Record breakers: Scientists say that a 1,240-mile flight carried out by three Alpine Swifts is the longest recorded flight made by any bird

A team from the Swiss Ornithological Institute and the Bern University of Applied Sciences strapped tiny electronic monitoring devices to six alpine swifts before they flew south for the winter.


When they returned north again, the team recaptured three of the birds and downloaded the data from the devices.
According to the LA Times, ornithologist Felix Liechti said that he did a double-take when he saw the data.
It showed that the birds did not stop moving from late September until early spring.
Despite the team's initial scepticism of the results, they found that the birds didn't land to rest or sleep, but instead spent much of the night gliding and eat while still airborne.

Constantly on the go: Researchers found that the birds didn't rest at night but merely stopped flapping their wings as much

Much of their diet consists of aerial plankton, bugs and spiders that are swept into the sky by high winds.
The birds are able to skim lakes and rivers while in flight for liquids.
What the scientists were unable to discern is why the birds spend so long in the air.
Mr Liechti said: 'We can only speculate as to what the profit is of staying airborne all the time.
'Is it avoiding predation? Parasites? We don't know.'

The routes the there birds (represented by the different colours) took between west Africa and south west Europe when they flew for 200 days without stopping



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2450705/Flying-Alpine-swifts-flying-200-days-longest-recorded-flight-

 

[aqeel813]

wow

(omg)

 

[uetian]

Luckily, none of these birds died during their flights :)
Two points:
1. as the researchers think that birds don't land for food search, is there really enough airborne food that keep these birds alive?
2. the route mentioned on the map, it almost 60% desert (Sahara Desert). After passing Niger river delta in the south these birds have to fly over 1600kms before they arrive in the nearest oasis in the north, or about 2000kms for reaching the Atlas mountain belt in Morocco/Algeria. This whole length is without any rainfall (omg)

 

[hans]

A a group of Birds fly for 6 months non stop..

Its not news .. my Mother in Law talks non stop.

 

[Humi]

wow! what determination these birds have! if only we humans were that focused and determined...