Page 60 - The Miracle of Migration in Animals

after flying an enormous distance of some 12,000 kilometers (7,450
miles), they arrive in Siberia at the beginning of June.
American golden plovers follow an ocean route of 3,840 kilome-
ters (2,400 miles) from Nova Scotia to South America, flying for about
48 hours without stopping. In spite of the difficult journey, each bird
uses up only four grams of body fat. The ruby-throated humming-
bird weighs about four grams and uses up less than one gram of fat in
its single 800 kilometers (500 miles) flight across the Gulf of Mexico. 17
On close examination, these little birds reveal themselves as a
miracle of creation. They make perfect journeys under conditions that
no human could ever cope with. God has created birds with all these
characteristics, proof of His unbounded intelligence and knowledge.

Hummingbirds migrate by day and
gather energy by collecting nectar
from flowers. Almost unbelievably,
the tiny ruby-throated hummingbird
tackles the sea crossing directly. Its
cruising speed is about 44 kilome-
ters (27 miles) an hour, and if condi-
tions are favorable, it can make the
transit non-stop, in around 18 hours.
(David Attenborough, The Life of
Birds, p. 67)

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