UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, M UNSÖLD
The critically endangered northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita) frequently swaps out the leading bird in its migratory V formation, giving each leader a rest and evenly distributing the aerodynamic advantages of the flying arrangement, according to a study published this week (February 2) in PNAS.
A team of researchers from the UK, Germany, and Austria trained 14 captive birds to migrate from Austria to Italy while fitted with high precision GPS data loggers to record their relative position in the flock during the trip. The scientists found that the birds formed temporary pairs that took turns at the tip of the V over 60 percent of the total trip time. Each bird spent roughly the same amount of time leading as it did following. As ...
