FROM SKY TO SEA: HOW BIRDS INSPIRE TEAMWORK

During a calm and peaceful evening, while watching the sunset, have you ever noticed groups of birds flying high in the sky? If yes, then you must have noticed that many groups fly in a shape that resembles the English alphabet “V”.

There’s an old African proverb which says, "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." This idea is demonstrated well by birds such as flamingos who travel long distances, covering thousands of kilometers.

But have you thought about why they fly like this? Is there a reason for such particular pattern?

When a bird flaps its wings, it creates a swirling wind called a rotating vortex. This swirling wind pushes some air down behind the bird and some air up and to the sides. This makes special areas in the air called upwash zones and downwash zones, where the air flows either up or down.

If a bird flies in one of these zones, it gets a boost from the air and doesn't have to work as hard to stay up. That's why birds in a group can glide behind the leader without flapping their wings as much. They're catching a free ride on the air!

This way, birds can get the most out of this flying pattern while using less energy from flapping their wings.

Another interesting thing is, there's no one bird that always leads. A study by Oxford University found that a bird spends about one-third of its time flying behind another bird and about the same amount of time leading the group. This shows how well the birds work together as a team.

In military circles, they have a special name for this flying pattern: the 'Vic' formation. You'll often spot it in thrilling air shows too. But what's really fascinating is where this idea came from originally.

It all started with observing those clever bird flocks that have captured our admiration for ages!

Imagine, long before airplanes and fancy maneuvers, birds were already mastering the art of efficient flying. Their teamwork and coordination inspired humans to adapt this formation for our own purposes, like in the military and in air shows.

It's a fantastic example of how nature can teach us some of the best lessons!