Have you ever wondered why birds fly in a V-shaped formation?
For years, scientists have wondered why birds line up in this way. It turns out that nature has created an ingenious mechanism that allows them to fly huge distances without losing direction or wasting unnecessary energy.
Each bird, flapping its wings, creates lift for the one flying immediately behind it. Thanks to this, the entire formation reaches speeds of up to 30–60% greater than each bird could do on its own. Air resistance becomes lower, and the effort is more evenly distributed. This is why birds can cover thousands of kilometers without resting.
At the head flies a leader – usually the oldest and most experienced bird, who has flown the same route many times and knows the way. Its wing movements create strong air currents that make the flight easier for those flying behind it. The second bird helps the third, the third the fourth, and so on – until the end of the formation.
The oldest, weakest or injured birds always take their place at the back of the formation, because there is the least air resistance. Then they can glide almost effortlessly on the air wave created by the birds in front of them.
It is also interesting that birds flying in a V-formation can maintain a speed of up to 80 km/h throughout the entire migration route. But no leader could do it alone. That is why there are always several “commanders” in a formation. When the first one gets tired, it calmly descends to the end of the formation, and the next one takes his place. And so they take turns all the way — like a perfectly coordinated team.
And another fascinating thing:
that characteristic cry that we hear from the sky is mostly emitted by the birds flying behind. In this way, they cheer on the leaders, give them strength and motivate them to keep up the pace. It is their form of support and encouragement.
If a bird tries to break away from the wedge and fly alone, it immediately feels enormous resistance and weight. That is why it quickly returns to the formation.
Because in a group – it's always easier.
