Playing Chicken With The Birds

Le mardi 20 novembre 2018 15:23:20 UTC+1, Martin Gregorie a écritÂ*:
ion as you and don't cause problems if you join them.

I have a theory that birds that normally soar in groups (gulls, kites,
storks etc) are less likely to hit you while the more solitary hunters
don't really know how to gaggle without having near misses and
collisions. But, what do I know. Can anybody confirm or deny this idea?

Prey birds have a natural interest not to be hit by bigger wings, whereas raptors don't care that much because the have no natural enemies in the air.

I fly a lot with eagles and vultures in the Alps. When an eagle is suprised by the glider's appearance, it will stop by putting it's wings to a 90 deg angle of attack, and then fold them and dive away. If it is annoyed by the glider's appearance, it will fly a direct attack with the fangs out. In both situations, being below the eagle is a bad position.

Vultures are quite a different bunch. They don't look out, they don't give a damn, and they don't center thermals.