Scientist Phil Battley weighs a bar-tailed godwit. These birds lose about half their body weight during their gruelling 11,000 km non-stop flight from Alaska to New Zealand. Battley and other scientists are seeking to understand the physiological adaptations that make such long flights possible. They are investigating how rapidly a godwit can replace its lost condition, and what changes to its hormones and digestive organs are involved.
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Eco-vista: Photography & Research
Reference: Image 018471_041018
by Brent Stephenson
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