Flight of The Godwit: Tracking Epic Shorebird Migrations, by Bruce M. Beehler
Smithsonian Books, 2025
272 pages, hardcover
ABA Sales–Buteo Books 15523
ruce M. Beehler’s 20th book, Flight of the Godwit: Tracking Epic Shorebird Migrations, is not only a study on the Hudsonian Godwits’ migration, but a journey through North America’s lesser-traveled roads. Though the title states Beehler’s focus is on godwits, he sets his sights much wider. His book spans from 2019 to 2023 as he followed Hudsonian Godwits’ migration patterns during 13 road trips over these four years.
Beehler followed seven shorebird species that he called “the magnificent seven” and North America’s shorebird royalty. These are “the largest, most beautiful, and farthest-flying members of the family.” The seven species are the Hudsonian Godwit, Bar-tailed Godwit, Marbled Godwit, Whimbrel, Long-billed Curlew, Bristle-thighed Curlew, and Upland Sandpiper.
Beehler thoroughly defines his terms and vocabulary when discussing birds in the book’s introduction. When he writes “shorebird,” he explains that he’s referring to the family Scolopacidae, which includes sandpipers and their relatives: “Scolopacidae = shorebirds = sandpiper.” The introduction outlines Beehler’s research and trips while acting as a fact sheet and a guide to birding. He includes vocabulary and basic birding terminology that he uses throughout his text. The introduction supplies the reader with enough background that anyone will be able to read and enjoy the book.
The book is split into three sections. The first part, “We Go Way Back,” works hand-in-hand with the introduction to set the reader up for Beehler’s research. Part One introduces the reader to the author and explains what will be discussed in the book to come. Beehler details his trips and findings in Part Two, “Out on the Road.” He includes his road trip stories within the seven chapters in this part, supplying a mixture of personal anecdotes and bird findings from his trips. He recorded his research and took notes by talking into a handheld voice recorder. This helps explain how he achieved his story-like writing style. His writing jumps from one observation to another and mimics the structure of someone excitedly explaining a trip they went on.
This helped make Flight of the Godwit read less like a scientific journal and more like a personal journal. Beehler includes brief, page-long bird analyses of the different species he came across, further separating scientific information and natural observations. “I was not seeking to ‘do’ science, just simple natural history, learning about a little-known migratory bird that crosses our continent twice a year in a great leaping flight.”
Beehler’s focus during his trips was the Hudsonian Godwit. Godwits are supermigrators that embark on an annual triangular migration pattern across North and South America. Hudsonian Godwits breed in Alaska, Canada, and the Hudson Bay region. They winter along the Atlantic Coast of southern Argentina. Godwits are exceptionally talented because they fly nonstop overseas every year. Beehler compared the godwit’s migration to similar supermigrators like the Arctic Tern, well-known for their long annual migrations. However, godwits are known for their nonstop overwater fasting flights that many supermigrators, like Arctic Terns, don’t take part in. For example, a banded Bar-tailed Godwit has the record for overwater migration by flying 265 nonstop hours from Alaska to Tasmania.
Beehler’s fascination with the Hudsonian Godwit permeates his writing as he’s constantly expressing his appreciation for the species. These godwits are elusive, and, half the time, Beehler couldn’t find them during his trips. This made the instances in which he did find them twice as thrilling.
While never straying too far from his shorebirds, Beehler widened his scope in his writing by noting everything from other wildlife species to forestry. Beehler met with many scientists he knew during his trips, which helped to broaden the stories in the book when he wrote about non-bird-related topics. My favorite tangent away from birds was when he visited his friend Shana Basich in Montana. Basich is a paleontologist and took Beehler around her ranch where they found 50 different dinosaur parts. I rarely lost interest when reading because he was constantly engaging his reader with new information. Though this was the only time dinosaurs came up during his studies, Beehler did happen upon many other species of wildlife. He saw all three North American bears—grizzly, black, and polar bears—dozens of whales, and so much more. His focus on anything living emphasized how he was on this journey to learn and see new things.
The book’s final part, “Until Next Year,” summarized Beehler’s findings and gave the reader insight into what shorebirds do in the winter. The last chapter before the epilogue was like the introduction in that it was a fact-heavy analysis of migrating birds. Beehler briefly explained the science behind migration and how shorebirds navigate such complex, overseas trips in only ten pages. It felt like the perfect summary of what Beehler learned on his trip and what the reader learned through the book. In his epilogue, he emphasized how much he absorbed from simply exploring these less explored parts of the U.S. “By the time I pulled into my driveway after the final leg of this life-changing experience, I felt I had gotten to know my target bird. But, also, I had gotten to know so many other little-known species and hidden places far from home, nature, and beautiful places populated by colorful and remarkable birds and mammals.”
Beehler found the perfect balance between scientific analysis and general observations, which resulted in an informative and enjoyable book with multiple layers. I enthusiastically read this book and enjoyed joining Beehler on his exciting cross-country journey.
Julia DiGeronimo is a novice birder and writer from New Jersey. She found her love for birding after watching a Blue Heron that lives in her local park. She loves reading, walking, and talking to animals that cross her path. Julia is a freelance journalist and enjoys helping people tell their stories
