The animated film “The bar-tailed godwit's dangerous journey”, produced as part of the Norwegian project Våtmarksløftet, traces the long and dangerous journey of the Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa lapponica) from Norway to Morocco. Around 3,000 children from 57 schools in Norway contributed to the making of this film. Each frame was coloured by hand by the children.
Migratory birds such as the Bar-tailed Godwit face numerous dangers on their long journeys, many of which are caused by human activity. The film clearly illustrates the importance of intact and safe wetlands as resting and wintering areas for these birds.
Like the Bar-tailed Godwit, the Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) also is a long-distance migrant that travels great distances to its wintering grounds in West Africa. Unlike the Bar-tailed Godwit, however, Black-tailed Godwits do not breed as far north, but are equally dependent on open and wet habitats. The challenges that migratory birds face on their journeys are enormous. Projects to preserve and restore wetlands, such as the LIFE IP GrassBirdHabitats project, are therefore crucial to providing safe habitats for these fascinating birds. This is particularly true in northern Germany, where the Black-tailed Godwit breeds in human-influenced cultural landscapes and is dependent on our support.
The animated film has been published on the YouTube channel of the Norwegian project “Våtmarksløftet”, which aims to teach children and young people about the importance of wetlands.
Watch the film here: The bar-tailed godwit´s dangerous journey - YouTube
