Book 4, Question 64
Why Do Geese Fly in a V?
A V is teamwork in the sky! Each bird rides a little lift from the swirl at the wingtip of the bird ahead. So the flock saves energy on long trips.
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 4
More fun facts
- As a bird flaps, a swirl of air rolls off each wingtip.
- Behind and to the side of each bird, that swirl pushes air upward.
- A bird flying in that upward air gets free lift and saves energy.
- Birds at the back of a V had slower heart rates and flapped less often than birds at the front.
- Geese take turns at the front and drop to the back of the V when they get tired.
- Scientists learned this by fitting birds with tiny trackers that recorded position and speed several times a second.
Sources: National Geographic, BBC
Questions kids ask
Who leads a V of geese?
The geese take turns. A tired leader drops back and another bird moves up front.