The bar-tailed godwit is a species of bird that migrates from Alaska to New Zealand each autumn - Scottish Highers Biology - Question 14 - 2023

To determine the average speed, we use the formula:

v_{avg} = \frac{d}{t}\,$$ where: - $v_{avg}$ is the average speed, - $d$ is the distance traveled (11,000 km), and - $t$ is the time taken (in hours). First, we convert the journey time from days to hours:

9 ext{ days} = 9 \times 24 = 216 \text{ hours}.

$$Now, substituting the values into the formula:$$

v_{avg} = \frac{11000 ext{ km}}{216 ext{ hours}} \approx 50.93 ext{ km/hr}.$$

Therefore, the average speed of the bar-tailed godwit during migration was approximately 50.93 km/hr.