Aerodynamic interactions of birds revealed through fluid dynamics simulations

The V-shaped flight pattern exhibited by migratory birds enables a flock to travel longer distances and conserve around 25% of their energy compared to birds flying alone. While bird flight mechanics have been researched for many decades, studies on the aerodynamics of flying migratory birds remain limited. Analyzing birds in motion presents unique technical challenges, including consideration of bird size, number of birds, and time in flight, that complicate obtaining precise biomechanical data.

Beaumont et al. studied migratory bird flight to better understand the mechanics and explore potential applications of this phenomenon.

“By combining numerical precision with analytical flexibility, this approach yields both qualitative and quantitative results, significantly enhancing our understanding of collective flight in migratory birds,” said author Fabien Beaumont.

Using an advanced computational code, the team visualized and analyzed the vortex wake dynamics generated by individual bird wing flapping. By adjusting wingbeat frequency, flight speed, and the number of birds in formation, the researchers could also explore various flight configurations.

Findings showed that a trailing bird must consistently regulate its body posture and wingbeat phases to ensure that its wingtips align with the vortex created by the bird ahead. These results, combined with previous research, allowed the researchers to determine the optimal positioning of birds within the V-shaped formation, which depends on both the lateral and longitudinal distances between wingtips.

“This work may also inspire applications in other fields, particularly aeronautical engineering and robotics,” said Beaumont. “Additionally, it could pave the way for new experiments by encouraging the use of numerical modeling to explore similar questions in animal flight or fluid dynamics in natural environments.”

Source: “Aerodynamic mechanisms behind energy efficiency in migratory bird formations,” by Fabien Beaumont, Sébastien Murer, Fabien Bogard, and Guillaume Polidori, Physics of Fluids (2025). This article can be accessed at https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0252553 .