Migratory birds fly , often in groups, in the form of V, which attracts the eyes, for its view, and its wonderful organization, and the feat. Many bird lovers wonder about the reasons for their flight, in this particular way, and some believe that the reason is due to saving energy. So, to unravel this mystery, in this article, why migratory birds fly in a V-shape.
Why do migratory birds fly in a V-shape?
Energy conservation
Migratory birds fly , in a V-shape, to conserve their energies, as each bird flies a little, above the bird in front of it, and thus the wind resistance decreases, so the birds exchange roles, to stand in the front, and then retreat, when they feel tired, so usually the geese Fly for a long time before stopping to get some rest.
A scientific article, published in the journal Nature, indicated that pelicans that fly alone, have to move their wings, more frequently, and have a higher heartbeat, than those that fly, in groups, and thus birds, in Groups, slip more often, reduce energy loss.
When the bird flutters, a rotating vortex rolls out of the air from each end of the tips of its wings, which means that the air just behind the bird is constantly pushed down, and the air behind it, and on the sides, is pushed up, so If another bird flies from the same areas of drift, it will get free lifting energy, which enables it to save energy by stopping the airflow produced by its mate in the flock.
How is the leader of a flock of birds selected?
The leaders of bird formations change from time to time, but the reasons for these changes have not been clearly identified, but age, sex, status, social status, and experience may play a large role in this matter, and there are some studies Which was conducted, at the University of Oxford, which found that the bird spends approximately, 32%, of its time, in flight, behind another bird, in addition to the same period, in leading the flock.
Examples of migratory birds
Migration is the seasonal movement that birds go through in search of food areas or breeding areas, and among the most famous birds, geese, which fly south, in search of food and water, during the winter, as well as swans, require that migration , over long distances, a great deal of energy, making the v configuration; Useful for birds, as it reduces their energy loss. Scientific studies have confirmed that geese consume only half energy, compared to flying, alone, or in another form.
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