# The impossible 10,000-mile journey of the Hudsonian godwit > Scientists are racing to understand how a pigeon-sized bird flies nonstop for days, and why half of all migratory shorebirds have vanished. - Title: The impossible 10,000-mile journey of the Hudsonian godwit - Summary: Scientists are racing to understand how a pigeon-sized bird flies nonstop for days, and why half of all migratory shorebirds have vanished. Migratory… - Keywords: hudsonian godwit, migratory shorebirds, nathan senner, university of massachusetts amherst, beluga alaska, chiloé island, bird migration, conservation biology, yellow sea, coastal wetlands, climate change, habitat loss - Source: The New Yorker — https://newyorker.com/magazine/2026/09/21/the-incredible-journey-of-a-migratory-shorebird - Author: Rivka Galchen - Published: 2026-09-14T10:00:00+00:00 - Read time: 3 min - Topics: hudsonian godwit, migratory shorebirds, nathan senner, university of massachusetts amherst, beluga alaska, chiloé island, bird migration, conservation biology, yellow sea, coastal wetlands, climate change, habitat loss ## Meeting a remarkable traveler A34 is a Hudsonian godwit, about the size of a city pigeon. She migrates nearly 10,000 miles between Alaska and Chilean Patagonia each year. ## Half of shorebirds have disappeared Since 1980, roughly half of migratory shorebird species have declined by more than 50%. They're sentinels for ecosystems we also depend on. > Birds are sentinels. The ecosystems they rely on are ecosystems we rely on as well. ## Little brown guys worth loving Migratory shorebirds lack the flash of exotic birds. But once people get to know them, they tend to fall in love. ## A rare and handsome wader Hudsonian godwits are rarely seen, dividing their time between remote northern bogs and muddy South American shores. Even Audubon never saw a living one. > I can count on the fingers of one hand the red-letter days when I have been privileged to see this rare and handsome wader. ## Feasting on Chilean mudflats On Chiloé Island, godwits spend months bobbing for bivalves and worms. There's no sign they're about to fly nearly 10,000 miles to Alaska. ## Coastlines need shorebirds Without shorebirds, coastlines erode faster, trap less carbon, and become unbalanced. They transport essential seeds and nutrients. ## From storks to the moon For centuries, bird migration baffled people. Aristotle thought birds transformed into other species. One minister claimed they flew to the moon. ## Continuous flapping for thousands of miles Godwits can't soar or glide. They migrate by flapping their wings continuously, day and night, without eating, drinking, or fully sleeping. > Many arriving shorebirds seem to be tired. ## Greaseballs with tiny guts Dead godwits found in Alaska were 55% body fat. Their digestive organs had shrunk to reduce weight and metabolic demands during migration. ## E7's impossible flight A tagged godwit named E7 flew 7,000 miles nonstop from Alaska to New Zealand in 2007. It took her more than 200 hours without a break. ## The math doesn't add up Scientists calculated that even the fattest godwits should run out of fuel after 2,500 miles. Yet they fly 7,000 miles or more. > They look diminutive, fragile, and delicate. But they're these high-performance Ferrari machines. ## Alien abduction for science Researchers surgically implanted heart-rate monitors in ten godwits to understand their metabolism. Nine birds survived and returned the next year. > When I look at them, I have this little moment and think, They're going to go off and do these amazing things. ## Migration may not be the danger Scientists assumed migration was the deadliest time for godwits. But new research suggests they're more vulnerable during breeding season. ## Nesting in the Alaskan bogs About 150 godwit pairs breed near Beluga. Their nests are nearly impossible to find, hidden in sedge clumps across vast, squishy bogs. ## Climate confusion Godwits used to arrive nine days earlier than usual. Now they're arriving six days later, possibly remembering the previous year's spring. ## Only one in four chicks survive Godwit parents fiercely protect their four eggs and chicks. But predators are everywhere, and survival rates rarely exceed 25%. ## Abandoned to find their own way In July, adult godwits leave their young behind and fly south. The juveniles depart weeks later, somehow finding their way alone. ## Mudflats aren't seen as beautiful Tidal mudflats stretch for miles and look uninviting. Their degradation isn't as obvious as a clear-cut forest, but they're vital habitat. > It's hard for people to imagine that it's an incredibly vibrant and important habitat for so much wildlife. ## China's Yellow Sea turnaround A third of China's Yellow Sea coastline was lost to development by 2014. Then the government restricted land reclamation, giving birds hope. ## Thousands of miles for nothing A researcher watched godwits travel thousands of miles to breed, only to lose their nests to predators or weather. Many failures, some successes. > They have travelled thousands of kilometres, just for that. ## Key takeaway Migratory shorebirds like the Hudsonian godwit are vanishing rapidly, but protecting their coastal habitats can still save them.