Birds fly faster in large flocks

Researchers at the Faculty of Science in Lund show that birds fly faster in flocks. The picture shows Terns photographed on Öland. Photo: Anders Hedenström New research at Lund University in Sweden shows that the flight speed of birds is determined by a variety of factors. Among the most sensational is that the size of the flock has a significant impact on how fast the birds can fly. The larger the flock, the higher the speed. Researchers at the Faculty of Science in Lund have now shown how several factors, working simultaneously together, determine the birds? flight speed. Their morphology, that is, the bird's weight and the shape of its wings, is one factor; wind direction and speed is another; and the situation (searching for food or travelling long distances) is a third.