I dont know what is more fascinating to me, the fact that a hawk has a L/D of 10:1 or that at least 2 boffins got paid for 4 months to measure it.

Seriosly, having shared airspace with a few feathered critters, I am amazed not in the gliding ability - (a wedgetail eagle is not as good as an LS-4!) -but in their ability to locate thermals. I am told its their fantastic eyesight, they can see bugs and dust rising better than we can.
I have actually had one wait for me to catch up, thermalling a blue day and although slightly off track, the birds judgement was close enough and hello, the strongest lift of the day!

As a side, Australian Wedgies are almost scary to fly with, they look at you with contempt and have taken a few bites at gliders in the past. Its probably a mating/ territory thing -Hang glider pilots can rightly be particularly nervous.
Pelicans are just magnificent but will seldom share a thermal with you, always leaving within a lap or two for quieter air. They seem to be un-affected by thermic gusts, perhaps due to their larger bulk.

Ibis are a great thermal marker, usually rotating in flocks and happy to have you churning around the outside of their core. Damn ugly, though.


Bagmaker