Migration on Wings

Birds that cover huge distances each year depend on the physics of flight, and this book examines that science closely. It begins with a short overview of bird migration, then looks at how air moves over a wing and how much energy flight demands.

From there, the authors estimate how far a bird can fly on its energy reserves and show how those calculations are made. The later chapters explain why birds flying together in formation gain aerodynamic advantages, and close with graphical diagrams that illustrate the flight patterns discussed.