據(jù)2013年10月9日Nature Communications上發(fā)表的一項(xiàng)研究，高山雨燕（Tachymarptis melba）在穿過撒哈拉的遷徙過程中能夠連續(xù)飛行六個(gè)月以上,。這項(xiàng)研究表明,，包括睡眠在內(nèi)的所有至關(guān)重要的生理過程在飛行過程中都能長久保持。
與在地面上或在水中相比，飛行是身體消耗非常大的活動。迄今為止，遷徙的鳥類一直被認(rèn)為在與遷徙相關(guān)的長途飛行中會花一些時(shí)間在地面上或水上休息以恢復(fù)體力,。
Felix Lietchi和本文其他作者發(fā)表的證據(jù)表明，三只高山雨燕在其在歐洲和西非之間的穿過撒哈拉的遷徙過程中連續(xù)不停歇地飛行了200天,。作者給這些雨燕配備了GPS數(shù)據(jù)記錄儀,，它們能測定鳥的位置和活動水平?；谒鎯Φ臄?shù)據(jù),，他們重建了這些鳥兒在至少7個(gè)月時(shí)間里的非繁殖運(yùn)動和活動模式。他們發(fā)現(xiàn),，在200天的時(shí)間里,，這些鳥兒都是活躍的，要么滑翔,、要么拍打翅膀,。這導(dǎo)致他們得出結(jié)論認(rèn)為，這些鳥兒在200天里沒有停下來休息,，即便是在飛了超過2000公里之后,。另外，他們獲得的活動模式顯示,，在它們在非洲的整個(gè)非繁殖期內(nèi),，這些雨燕都能連續(xù)保持在空中,，并且一定能夠在飛行中恢復(fù)體力。此前,，如此長距離的,、持久的運(yùn)動只對生活在海上的動物有報(bào)道。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦的英文摘要
Nature Communications DOI:10.1038/ncomms3554
First evidence of a 200-day non-stop flight in a bird
Felix Liechti,Willem Witvliet,Roger Weber & Erich Bachler
Being airborne is considered to be energetically more costly as compared with being on the ground or in water. Birds migrating or foraging while airborne are thought to spend some time resting on the ground or water to recover from these energetically demanding activities. However, for several decades ornithologists have claimed that some swifts may stay airborne for almost their whole lifetime. Here we present the first unequivocal evidence that an individual bird of the Alpine swift (Tachymarptis melba) can stay airborne for migration, foraging and roosting over a period of more than 6 months. To date, such long-lasting locomotive activities had been reported only for animals living in the sea. Even for an aerodynamically optimized bird, like the Alpine swift, flying requires a considerable amount of energy for continuous locomotive control. Our data imply that all vital physiological processes, including sleep, can be perpetuated during flight.
