of the lead bird. The upwash would assist each bird in supporting its own weight in flight, in the same way a glider can climb or maintain height indefinitely in rising air. The birds are said to be able to find the place where the uplift is the most desirable either by sight or by sensing the airflow by their feathers, scientists suspect.

According to a 1970 paper, in a V formation of 25 members, each bird can achieve a reduction of induced drag and as a result