Migrating birds

_{Species depicted: Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea), Bar-headed goose (Anser indicus) and Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica)
Time taken: ~15 hours
References used: none specifically
Tools of the trade: Photoshop CS5}

Commission for an off-deviantart client.

Here's another painting for the ongoing animal commissions. The commission description for this month was pretty general, namely 'migrating birds', and so I chose three record holding migrating birds for the illustration.

There's the Arctic tern on the left, which makes the longest migration of any animal in the world: 90 000 (yes, NINETY THOUSAND) kilometres for some individuals every year as they fly from the North pole to the South pole and back! More 'common' though are distances of roundabout 70 000 kilometers each year. They fly such bizarrely long distances to take full advantage of both Arctic summers, when the sun doesn't set for almost 6 months. By timing its migration perfectly, they take full advantage of this phenomena on both the poles, thus catching more sunlight hours than any other animals on earth.

The Bar-headed goose makes the highest migration of all, flying at altitudes of around 5000 metres when they cross the Himalaya, at night, and only in a couple of hours. Some geese take it up higher, flying at up to 6500 metres, and some second hand reports even tell of the birds flying over mount everest - 8800 metres plus. Just to put it in perspective: the air up there is so cold that human skin would instantly freeze and it only contains a sliver of the amount of oxygen we have at sea level. There's actually winds that push up and against the mountains which could 'give them a ride' up so to speak, but surprisingly the geese avoid these on purpose. They always wait for the wind to die down completely before they fly.

Last but not least there's the Bar-tailed godwit. They have a worldwide distribution, migrating from the northern tundra to their tropical feeding grounds in Africa, Southern Asia or Oceania each year. One female of this species holds the record for longest recorded non-stop flight for any bird. This lady flew from Alaska all the way to New Zealand, 11500 kilometres, without ever stopping to feed or rest, completing the journey in nine days.

True top athletes!

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All submissions in this gallery, be it photos, paintings or drawings, are copyrighted to me, Namu-the-orca. No one has the right to alter, distribute, copy or use my art without my written permission unless stated otherwise. My submissions are NOT stock}