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Flight of the Godwit: Tracking Epic Shorebird Migrations
Soar across 46 North American territories to uncover the secrets of 7 magnificent shorebirds, the world’s greatest nonstop travelers
An immersive travelogue that belongs on every birder's bookshelf, with 30 gorgeous black-and-white illustrations and a birdwatching species checklist
Flying more than 8,000 miles from Alaska to eastern Australia without stopping to eat or rest, the Bar-tailed Godwit holds the record for the longest nonstop migration of any land bird in the world. Flight of the Godwit invites readers on ornithologist Bruce M. Beehler's awe-inspiring journey in search of North America's largest and farthest-flying shorebirds. Driving 35,000 miles between 2019 to 2023, Beehler sought birds he dubs the "Magnificent Seven":
Hudsonian GodwitBar-tailed GodwitMarbled GodwitWhimbrelLong-billed CurlewBristle-thighed CurlewUpland Sandpiper
Beehler interweaves colorful fieldwork stories and rich details on local culture with the natural history and biology of shorebirds—including evolution, the physics of migration, orientation, homing, foraging, diet, nesting, parental care, wintering, staging, elusive "super-migrators," and the importance of conservation efforts.
With authoritative prose and 30 beautiful black-and-white illustrations from artist Alan T. Messer, the book journeys through 37 states and 9 Canadian provinces from Texas to Alaska to Canada's High Arctic. Flight of the Godwit is a captivating adventure and a tribute to remarkable birds and birding itself.
An immersive travelogue that belongs on every birder's bookshelf, with 30 gorgeous black-and-white illustrations and a birdwatching species checklist
Flying more than 8,000 miles from Alaska to eastern Australia without stopping to eat or rest, the Bar-tailed Godwit holds the record for the longest nonstop migration of any land bird in the world. Flight of the Godwit invites readers on ornithologist Bruce M. Beehler's awe-inspiring journey in search of North America's largest and farthest-flying shorebirds. Driving 35,000 miles between 2019 to 2023, Beehler sought birds he dubs the "Magnificent Seven":
Hudsonian GodwitBar-tailed GodwitMarbled GodwitWhimbrelLong-billed CurlewBristle-thighed CurlewUpland Sandpiper
Beehler interweaves colorful fieldwork stories and rich details on local culture with the natural history and biology of shorebirds—including evolution, the physics of migration, orientation, homing, foraging, diet, nesting, parental care, wintering, staging, elusive "super-migrators," and the importance of conservation efforts.
With authoritative prose and 30 beautiful black-and-white illustrations from artist Alan T. Messer, the book journeys through 37 states and 9 Canadian provinces from Texas to Alaska to Canada's High Arctic. Flight of the Godwit is a captivating adventure and a tribute to remarkable birds and birding itself.
272 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 15, 2025
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104 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 18, 2025
Bruce Beehler is fascinated with bird migration. His previous book, North on the Wing, focused on spring migration in warblers. In Flight of the Godwit, shorebird species with the most impressive migratory patterns provide his anchor. Though he calls out godwits in the title, and shows a definite fascination with them, the book actually addresses the natural history of all North American members of the Scolopacidae including sandpipers, phalaropes, yellowlegs, and dowitchers. He omits “shorebirds" in other families, such as plovers, that have less impressive migrations.
Beehler terms the seven largest sandpipers “The Magnificent Seven” and centers most of the book on these species. These include Whimbrel, two curlews - Bristle-thighed and Long-billed, Upland Sandpiper, and three godwits - Bar-tailed, Hudsonian, and Marbled. He describes them as the largest, most beautiful and farthest flying. The godwits and curlews have long sustained migratory flights which means fewer stop overs. This makes them more difficult for the typical North American birder to see.
The book is divided into three parts: an overview of the natural history of shorebirds and the author’s history with them, the author’s travels following Godwit migration in North America from Texas to the Arctic Circle, and a discussion of wintering habitat and migration research. The first and third sections are the strongest and provide good introductions to shorebirds in general and godwits in particular. The middle section sometimes reads like unedited notes from a travel journal with lists of places visited and species seen. Yet, sprinkled among the notes are compelling tidbits of natural history. For example, in a discussion of the four types of feeding and foraging, the author notes that species with curved bills can’t manipulate prey with their tongues because the bills are so long. They have to throw the prey down their throats with head jerking motions.
The book is decorated with beautiful illustrations by Alan Messer of each of the species discussed in their natural habitats. There are also 30 one page text boxes describing species or species groups (e.g. three phalarope species are treated in one group). The descriptions provide basic descriptions and notes on breeding, migration, and habitat.
Flight of the Godwit is not a field guide. It won’t help much with the struggles of identifying the numerous types of sandpipers. The book will however deepen your appreciation and understanding of shorebirds. You are sure to come away with at least a few fun facts you can remember.
Beehler terms the seven largest sandpipers “The Magnificent Seven” and centers most of the book on these species. These include Whimbrel, two curlews - Bristle-thighed and Long-billed, Upland Sandpiper, and three godwits - Bar-tailed, Hudsonian, and Marbled. He describes them as the largest, most beautiful and farthest flying. The godwits and curlews have long sustained migratory flights which means fewer stop overs. This makes them more difficult for the typical North American birder to see.
The book is divided into three parts: an overview of the natural history of shorebirds and the author’s history with them, the author’s travels following Godwit migration in North America from Texas to the Arctic Circle, and a discussion of wintering habitat and migration research. The first and third sections are the strongest and provide good introductions to shorebirds in general and godwits in particular. The middle section sometimes reads like unedited notes from a travel journal with lists of places visited and species seen. Yet, sprinkled among the notes are compelling tidbits of natural history. For example, in a discussion of the four types of feeding and foraging, the author notes that species with curved bills can’t manipulate prey with their tongues because the bills are so long. They have to throw the prey down their throats with head jerking motions.
The book is decorated with beautiful illustrations by Alan Messer of each of the species discussed in their natural habitats. There are also 30 one page text boxes describing species or species groups (e.g. three phalarope species are treated in one group). The descriptions provide basic descriptions and notes on breeding, migration, and habitat.
Flight of the Godwit is not a field guide. It won’t help much with the struggles of identifying the numerous types of sandpipers. The book will however deepen your appreciation and understanding of shorebirds. You are sure to come away with at least a few fun facts you can remember.
May 31, 2025
I enjoyed this book so much. It was such an interesting read and very well written, with so much good information about the birds plus highlights of the author's travels following the shorebird migrations. We are so fortunate here in our little corner of SD that we get such a good spring shorebird migration right in our county. We just recently realized how very lucky we are to see the Hudsonian Godwit in breeding plumage on a farm pond just a few miles from our house. This particular farm pond is really a magnet for a nice variety of shorebirds and other birds. The beautiful drawings are a wonderful addition to the book.
September 10, 2025
This book was very interesting and I was able to take a class from the author. He has extensive knowledge of these birds and travels all over tracking them. It is amazing how far birds migrate.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews