Dear Editor, Coming fall when you see geese heading south for the winter flying along in “V” formation, you might be interested in knowing what science has discovered about why they fly that way. It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds at I cast 71% greater flying range than if each bird New on its own, (People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker und caser, because they rue I raveling on the thrust of one another.) Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag Ang resistance of trying to go it alone, and quickly gets back in formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front. (If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same way We are going), When the lead goose gets tired) it rotates back in the wing and another goose faces point (It pays to take tums doing hard jobs with people or geese Ming south). The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. (What do we say when we honk from behind????) Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gunshot and Falls outs, two geese fall out of formation and follow if down to help and protect i Hay They stay with it until it is cither able to fly or until it is dead, and then they Jauneh out on their own off with another formation to catch up with their group. (If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that.) Amolak Singh, New Orleans.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 9, 1994
