An amazing ability to fly long distances.
But sense of direction? Not so much.
Via Jerusalem Post.
….A medium-sized shorebird that typically nests in the North American tundra and in eastern Russia, the dowitcher was last seen in Israel in the Dan region in 1984, according to Jonathan Meirav, a senior ornithologist at the Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel.
“He probably at some point got confused along his way, and instead of migrating to the hot spots of South and Central America, took a different direction, likely connected with another species of shorebird and migrated with them for the winter to Africa,” Meirav said. “Shorebirds are strong flyers and are world-record holders in long-distance migration….
“The observation aroused great interest in the bird-watching community in Israel, and ornithologists and nature photographers came out from all parts of the country, in the middle of the night, to be in Eilat at sunrise and observe the rare guest,” Meirav added….
