Research · Wild Birds Rewrite the Rules of Flight Efficiency With 'Free Fuel' From the Sky

Research · Wild Birds Rewrite the Rules of Flight Efficiency With 'Free Fuel' From the Sky

A study published in Science on October 15, led by researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior and Swansea University, finds that soaring birds travel far more cheaply than long assumed by harvesting energy from rising air and wind. Tracking data covering millions of kilometres show that seven vulture species flapped for only about 0.1% to 7% of their flight time, in some cases moving at costs lower than swimming.

The trade-off is flexibility: larger soaring birds save the most energy but are more restricted in when and where they can fly, while flapping species pay more to cope with variable conditions. The authors say the results matter beyond ornithology, because if atmospheric conditions shift with climate change, the cost of flight - and with it migration routes and where species can live - will shift too.

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