Soaring is a specialized flying technique that allows certain species of birds to fly long distances without flapping their wings. By utilizing columns of rising warm air called thermals, birds can gain altitude and travel great distances with minimal effort. Some of the most impressive soaring birds include large raptors, seabirds, and vultures.
Raptors
Many birds of prey rely on soaring flight to hunt and migrate. Their large size and elongated wings make them well-suited to soaring. Some of the most notable soaring raptors include:
- Eagles – Bald eagles, golden eagles, and other large eagle species regularly soar on updrafts to spot prey from above and conserve energy during migration.
- Hawks – Red-tailed hawks, Swainson’s hawks, and ferruginous hawks are common North American raptors adept at soaring.
- Vultures – With their huge 6-7 foot wingspans, vultures are exceptional soarers. They effortlessly ride thermals to ascend to great heights.
- Osprey – These distinctive fish-eating raptors soar over lakes and coastlines searching for prey.
- Kites – Smaller raptors like Mississippi kites and black-shouldered kites are agile soarers.
Many of these raptors migrate long distances each year from their breeding territories to wintering grounds. Soaring assists their travels by allowing them to efficiently cover vast distances without tiring themselves out.
Seabirds
Coastal habitats are filled with columns of rising air called ridge lifts. Seabirds utilize these ridge lifts to soar close to cliffsides and over the open ocean. Some seabirds known for their soaring abilities include:
- Albatross – Of all the soaring birds, albatross are among the most specialized and efficient. Their long, narrow wings allow them to travel thousands of miles across open seas.
- Pelicans – Large pelicans soar over coastal waters to spot fish near the surface.
- Gulls – Although they flap frequently, gulls also soar in winds and updrafts to conserve energy.
- Shearwaters – These long-distance migratory seabirds perform epic migrations between hemispheres aided by soaring.
For seabirds that make their living on the open ocean, the ability to soar gives them expanded foraging range and saves critical energy on long migrations.
Vultures
Soaring allows vultures to efficiently scan massive areas for the carrion on which they feed. Two continents have evolved large-winged, highly specialized soaring vultures.
- New World Vultures – In the Americas, the Andean condor, California condor, and king vulture are renowned for effortlessly riding thermals over miles of terrain. Turkey vultures and black vultures also soar frequently.
- Old World Vultures – Eurasian and African vultures like the bearded vulture, griffon vulture, and Egyptian vulture use soaring flight to locate carcasses.
Vultures have evolved adaptations like large wings and lightweight bodies to maximize time spent soaring. On favorable days, a vulture may go an entire day without a single flap of its wings.
Other Expert Soaring Birds
While raptors, seabirds, and vultures are the most associated with soaring flight, many other species regularly utilize thermals and ridge lifts. Some other exceptional soaring birds include:
- Storks – Large storks like the white stork and marabou stork soar on warm updrafts during seasonal migrations between Europe and Africa.
- Cranes – Sandhill cranes, common cranes, and whooping cranes soar during their epic migrations.
- Waterfowl – Birds like pelicans, swans, and geese commonly soar over waterways and wetlands.
- Ravens – The large common raven is an agile soarer seen coasting on updrafts.
- Frigatebirds – These ocean-going birds have extra long, angular wings ideal for soaring.
Any bird with large wings relative to its body mass and access to rising air currents can effectively soar. Many species soar to some degree as they disperse, travel, or forage.
How Birds Soar
Birds soar by making use of columns of rising air called thermals and ridge lifts. Here is an overview of how bird soaring works:
- Thermals – Columns of rising warm air. As the sun heats the ground, it warms the air above it. This less dense, warm air rises in invisible columns called thermals. Soaring birds circle upward on thermals, gaining height with little effort. They then glide off on a horizontal path until they locate the next thermal.
- Ridge Lifts – Rising wind that forms when air is forced upward by high terrain. Ridges, cliffs, and shorelines create lifts when wind hits them. Seabirds utilize ridge lifts created by coastal cliffs and thermals over warmer ocean waters.
- Convection – The cyclic process of soaring upwards on rising air and then gliding downwards. By alternating between climbing on thermals and gliding on flat wings, birds can travel horizontally for miles with minimal flapping.
- Soaring Adaptations – Species that soar frequently have anatomical adaptations like large, Slotted wingtips and light, robust bodies that maximize time spent aloft.
Soaring is an efficient flying technique that gives birds increased mobility and energy savings during daily foraging and seasonal migration. It allows them to exploit an aerial realm inaccessible to most other animals.
Threats to Soaring Birds
While soaring provides birds immense benefits, it also leaves them vulnerable to some modern threats:
- Collisions – Soaring birds struck by vehicles and turbines while focused aloft. Eagles, vultures, and condors have been killed by wind turbines and aircraft collisions.
- Poisoning – Scavenging vultures can be poisoned by chemicals like lead from carrion. Many Old World vultures have declined from diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory used on livestock that is toxic to vultures.
- Habitat Loss – Development that destroys the cliffs, coasts, and flatlands birds rely on for lift. Nesting and roosting sites may also be lost.
- Disruption of Air Currents – Structures like wind farms and walls can interfere with proper thermal and ridge lift formation needed by soaring birds.
Protecting breeding sites, monitoring migratory pathways, minimizing toxins, and thoughtful placement of structures can help safeguard soaring bird populations.
Interesting Facts About Soaring Birds
- Andean condors have a wingspan over 10 feet, the largest of any raptor.
- Frigatebirds can stay aloft for weeks by night roosting on the wing.
- Turkey vultures have a highly developed sense of smell to help them locate carrion from great heights.
- Albatrosses use a specialized shoulder-locking mechanism to keep their wings fully extended without effort while soaring.
- The heaviest known bird able to soar was the extinct Argentavis magnificens, with a 23 foot wingspan and weight over 150 pounds.
- A wandering albatross holds the known avian record for longest uninterrupted flight – about 10,000 miles over 46 days without landing!
Conclusion
Soaring flight allows birds to travel widely and conserve energy as they commute and migrate. Specialized soaring species like raptors, seabirds, and vultures have evolved morphological and behavioral adaptations that maximize time spent aloft. While soaring provides birds outstanding benefits, it also exposes them to modern threats like collision, poisoning, and habitat disruption. Protecting soaring bird populations requires comprehensive conservation measures tailored to safeguard the habitats and air currents they depend on.