We've all stared in awe at birds flying overhead in a V-shaped pattern. This formation has long been thought to be aero-dynamically advantageous for the birds, helping them conserve energy for their long migrations. But until now the only empirical evidence supporting that idea came from a decade-old study of pelicans, in which heart monitors implanted into the birds revealed lower heart rates-indicating energy savings-when they flew in formation. A new study on the endangered northern bald ibis, Geronticus eremita, identifies just how birds benefit from formation flying.
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