Like schools of fish, starlings gather in massive undulating crowds. Known as murmurations, these gatherings are a type of collective motion. Scientists often try to mimic these groups through simulations Keep reading
Tag: birds
Saving Energy By Following a Leader
Scientists have long suspected that birds save energy by following a leader — think of the V-shaped flight formation used by geese — but a new study captures that savings Keep reading
“Running on Water”
In the early morning light, young photographer Max Wood captured this coot escaping a fight. With wings flapping, the bird runs across the water surface. Each slap and stroke of Keep reading
Diving From Above
Blue-footed boobies, like many other seabirds, climb to a particular altitude before folding their wings and diving head-first into the water. This acrobatic feat balances the bird’s force of impact Keep reading
Sandgrouse Soak in Water
Desert-dwelling sandgrouse resemble pigeons or doves, but they have a very different superpower: males can soak in and hold 25 milliliters of water in their feathers, which they carry tens Keep reading
Seashore Hunting
Watch sea gulls, plovers, and other birds hunt in the tidal zone, and you may notice them stepping over and over in the same spot. This is part of bird’s Keep reading
Bird Photographer of the Year 2022
Try as we might, humans cannot understand fluid dynamics as birds do. Whether they are primarily flyers or swimmers, birds have an innate understanding of lift and other aerodynamic forces Keep reading
Perching Aerodynamics
When birds come in for a landing, they pitch back and heave their wings as they come to a stop in a perching maneuver. Some birds, researchers noticed, partially fold Keep reading
Portraits of Flight
During lockdown, photographer Doris Mitsch turned her eyes to the sky and began capturing these mesmerizing composite images of animals in flight. Vultures, crows, starlings, gulls, and bats all feature Keep reading
“In Flight”
Photographer Mark Harvey captured these stunning portraits of birds in flight. From acrobatic songbirds to soaring raptors, the images show the incredible morphology of a bird’s wing during flight. Most Keep reading