Ducks and Geese Question

**ichi** · 04-03-2005, 04:47

When ducks and geese migrate they fly in a V formation. I've been told that this is to reduce wind resistance and improve efficiency.

But does anyone know why one side of the V is longer than the other one?

ichi

**Uesugi Kenshin** · 04-03-2005, 04:59

I don't know that is a great question. I know that the V also helps them rotate which bird is in front, maybe cutting the air for the rest. It would make sense if the most air resistance was at the front and all. Maybe there is the least on the longer end and the one which was just at the front goes back there when they switch out?

While we are talking about geese the plural of mongoose is spelled mongooses, I think it should be mongeeses though.

**IrishMike** · 04-03-2005, 06:24

Hmmm.... I don't know, but I have seen it over and over again. Mabey it has something to do with the direction the wind is blowing. Just my guess though.

**Kaiser of Arabia** · 04-03-2005, 06:32

or theyres an odd amount of geeses and deekes? (ducks)

**dessa14** · 04-03-2005, 06:37

because one side is flying faster then the other side

**Big_John** · 04-03-2005, 07:02

ducks and geese are chauvinistic species. only the drakes and ganders are allowed to fly on the windward side of the chevron (weaker females get the leeward side). since the males are larger, their side of the chevron will be longer, although the # of ducks on each side is close.

on a related note, i'm drunk.

or..
geometrically, depending on the wind direction and windspeed relative to the flight speed of the birds, it seems like there would situations where it'd make sense for the leeward side of the chevron to be longer than the windward side.

**ichi** · 04-03-2005, 08:35

LMAO^^^^^

ichi

**Hosakawa Tito** · 04-03-2005, 08:42

We have a lot of Canadian geese, many living year round in our area. There is a coal fired electric plant near where I live on the Lake Erie shoreline that has a warm water discharge that keeps open water for them during the winter. They utilize my pasture and I enjoy watching them. From what I have read, they can fly much farther as a group in V formation because the lead bird breaks the air resistance and the rest have easier flying in the slipstream created. The lead bird does tire more quickly and will drop back and another will take the lead. Some claim that dominate females usually are the leaders. They definitely make quite a racket calling back and forth while in flight. I don't know why one side of the V formation is longer than the other, it isn't like that all the time, but it does happen quite frequently. Big John's explanation sounds logical though.