Why do birds fly in formation shaped like the alphabet'V'? Which bird works the hardest in such a formation and why?
Asked by: Suma
Answer
The bird in the lead (at the forward point of the 'V' formation) is working the
hardest by being the first to 'break through' the air, which is offering resistance
to its flight. Just as a boat leaves a V-shaped wake of smoother water behind it,
the lead bird leaves a V-shaped wake of slightly 'smoother' air behind it (actually the lead bird creates a trail of air turbulence that helps lift along the V-shaped direction), and it is
a bit easier for the other birds to fly in the wake of the lead bird. If you watch a
V-formation carefully, you'll notice that the lead bird does not stay in that
position for very long and will drop back into the formation, while another,
not-as-tired bird takes the lead, breaking through the air first.
Answered by: Greg Armbruster, Amateur Bird Enthusiast
'I beseech you to take interest in these sacred domains so expressively called laboratories. Ask that there be more and that they be adorned for these are the temples of the future, wealth and well-being. It is here that humanity will grow, strengthen and improve. Here, humanity will learn to read progress and individual harmony in the works of nature, while humanity's own works are all too often those of barbarism, fanaticism and destruction.'