The Great Snipe can fly 4,000 miles (over 6,000 km) at a speed of 60 miles per hour without stopping to eat or drink.
The Great Snipe, also known as a wading bird, is nearly the size of a small pigeon. This species typically breeds in Eastern Europe during the summer and migrates to Africa for the winter.
The Great Snipe is considered one of the hardiest animals in the animal kingdom (Photo: Utahbird.org).
British and Swedish researchers attached electronic tracking devices to three male Great Snipe birds to monitor their flight journey from Europe to Africa. The results revealed that one bird completed a journey of 3,834 miles in 3 days, another flew 4,445 miles in 3.5 days, and the last one traveled 2,871 miles in 48 hours.
In the spring, they tracked the similar journey of these birds, and their flight speed ranged from approximately 33 to 60 miles per hour. During their flights, they did not stop to feed, unlike other wading birds.
Grahame Madge, a member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) in the UK, stated: “The Great Snipe typically has a large bill. It is astonishing that they can undertake long flights without resting. Some other bird species tend to stop frequently at certain points to replenish their energy.”
This bird was once commonly found in the UK, but it has been heavily hunted. Today, the Great Snipe has become rare, with only 2 to 3 sightings reported each year.
While many other bird species can fly longer distances, their speed is not as fast as that of the Great Snipe. For instance, Arctic Swallows migrate 50,000 miles each year from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back, but their journey takes several months.
Thus, the Great Snipe is regarded as one of the toughest animals in the animal kingdom.
