The Ultimate Endurance Bird: Flying Thousands of Miles Without Food or Water
The great snipe, a bird known for its incredible endurance, can fly up to 4,000 miles (over 6,000 km) at a speed of 60 miles per hour without stopping for food or water.
Also referred to as a wading bird, the great snipe is about the size of a small pigeon. These birds typically spend the summer in Eastern Europe before migrating to Africa for the winter. In a joint study, British and Swedish researchers attached electronic devices to three male great snipes to monitor their migration from Europe to Africa. The data revealed that one bird flew a remarkable 3,834 miles in just three days, another covered 4,445 miles in three and a half days, and the third flew 2,871 miles in 48 hours.
In the spring, the researchers tracked the birds on their return journey and found that their flight speed ranged from 33 to 60 miles per hour. Remarkably, unlike other wading birds, these snipes do not stop to feed during their long migration.
Grahame Madge, a member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in the UK, commented, “Great snipes are known for their large beaks. It’s truly astonishing that they can fly such long distances without resting. Other bird species typically stop at regular intervals to regain their energy.”
Although great snipes were once commonly found in the UK, excessive hunting has made them rare. Today, only 2-3 individuals are spotted in the country each year.
While many bird species can cover greater distances, they usually do so at a slower pace compared to the great snipe. For example, the Arctic tern migrates 50,000 miles annually between the Arctic and Antarctic, but its journey takes several months.
Due to its remarkable stamina and ability to endure such grueling flights, the great snipe is considered one of the toughest creatures in the animal kingdom.
