You may have seen birds fly as a group. Do you know why they fly in a “V” formation?
Vidunenahawula Website (National Institute of Fundamental Studies)
Lining up in a V gives each member a clear line of sight ahead them. It also takes less energy to travel in this formation. When a bird flaps its wings, the air behind the bird gets pushed downwards creating a downwash. while the air towards its sides gets pushed upwards, creating a upwash. This produces rotating vortices. If another bird flies in these upwash zones, it gets a free lift and glides due to reduced air resistance. And they are able to fly long distances without putting much effort and maintaining a clear line of sight. Since the bird in the lead faces greater air resistance, the birds keep changing their positions in the V and take turns as leaders. This maximizes the use of each bird’s energy, allowing flocks to fly without having to stop.
