There are those who fly for a few meters and those who don’t land for 10 consecutive months, taking advantage of sleeping at altitude or ascending currents. Here’s how wing shape, weight and metabolism determine the flight endurance of 10 extraordinary bird species.
From a few seconds to many months. in the volatile world, flight times span a very wide range, which depends on the shape of the wings, body weight, metabolism and the environment in which each species evolved. some birds are “designed” for short escapes and rapid takeoffs, others for crossing oceans and continents. Below are ten representative examples of this wonderful world.
Hen: 10-15”
Despite belonging to the bird group, chickens are terrible at flying. Their heavy body and relatively small wings allow them to perform only short take-offs, mostly useful for escaping predators or reaching a perch. According to the Guinness Book of Records, the distance record (covered in a dozen seconds) belongs to a bantam hen who flew 192 meters in 1985.
Eagle: 2-4 hours
Large eagles are able to exploit updrafts to stay in the air for up to 4 consecutive hours with very little energy expenditure. The golden eagle, for example, reaches speeds of 150 km/h when diving and can travel over 100-150 kilometers in gliding flight. Some specimens have been observed above 7,000 meters, where the air has about 40% less oxygen than at zero altitude.
Pigeon: 3-5 hours
The racing pigeon is a navigation athlete. Although it does not reach the records of large oceanic migrants, it can remain in the air for up to 5 consecutive hours and cover hundreds of kilometers without stopping. His fame derives above all from his ability to orient himself using the Sun, the Earth’s magnetic field, the smells and landmarks of the landscape, always finding his way home.
Crow: 4-6 hours
Ravens in Yellowstone National Park have demonstrated that they can fly for up to six hours without stopping. The curiosity is that they do not simply follow the wolves to find food, but use real “mental maps” of the territory. Recent studies suggest that they remember the places where carcasses appear most frequently, exploiting some of the most advanced cognitive abilities in the animal kingdom.
Geese: 3-4 days
Those of the Branta genus are capable of facing long migrations. In particular the wood pigeon goose (Branta bernicla) moves from the Arctic areas towards the south, covering almost 5,000 kilometers in a few days and consuming the fat reserves accumulated in the previous months during the journey. At the end of the migration, some specimens may have lost almost half their body weight.
Arctic Tern: 4-6 days
It is the queen of migrations. Every year it travels from the Arctic to Antarctica and back, covering over 70,000 km in continuous pursuit of summer.
During ocean crossings it can remain aloft for days, taking advantage of favorable winds and extraordinary aerodynamic efficiency. Over the course of its life (20-30 years), it travels the distance between the Earth and the Moon numerous times (approximately 380,000 km).
Black-tailed godwit: 9-11 days
It holds one of the most impressive records in the animal kingdom: a specimen monitored by researchers flew from Alaska to Tasmania, traveling over 13,500 kilometers without ever stopping. During the journey he cannot eat or drink, so he accumulates enormous energy reserves before departure and, to lighten himself, even reduces the size of some internal organs.
Greater frigate: 1-2 months
Frigate birds spend much of their lives above tropical oceans. Thanks to very long and light wings, they exploit the upward currents generated by storm clouds and can remain in the air for weeks or even months. Recent studies have shown that they can even indulge in short episodes of sleep while gliding at high altitude, without having to interrupt their journey.
Common Swift: 7-10 months
It is probably the most extraordinary bird in nature. Swifts eat, drink, mate and sleep in the air. Research from Lund University has shown that some individuals can go up to ten consecutive months without ever landing. Their legs, in fact, are not very suitable for walking and their entire biology has evolved around the idea of living in the sky.
Albatros: years, or rather not…
There are those who claim that albatrosses fly for years without stopping, but this is not correct. These imposing birds land… on the surface of the ocean. This does not mean that they are among the greatest masters of gliding flight. Thanks to their enormous wings (about 3.5 meters wide) they exploit the wind of the southern regions, traveling almost 1,000 km a day and making long journeys without returning to land for years.
