Which bird holds the record for the longest non-stop flight during migration?

The bar-tailed godwit holds the record for the longest non-stop flight during bird migration. The remarkable journey is made by the Pacific-migrating subspecies Limosa lapponica baueri, which travels between Alaska and Australasia without stopping to feed or rest.

These birds cross the Pacific Ocean on their southbound migration, relying on substantial fat reserves built before departure. Their route includes thousands of kilometres over open water, making the journey especially demanding for a shorebird that normally feeds on coastal mudflats and estuaries.

The record has advanced as satellite tracking has improved. In 2022, a tagged juvenile flew at least 13,560 kilometres from Alaska to Tasmania in 11 days and one hour. Earlier tracked flights included journeys of about 11,680 kilometres and 13,035 kilometres.

The golden plover and Arctic tern are also famous migrants, but for different reasons. Arctic terns make the longest annual pole-to-pole migration, while albatrosses are celebrated for oceanic endurance and soaring—not for the longest verified non-stop migratory flight.