How geese fly long distances

[COL Jagdog]

During the last 10 days, I have witnessed countless thousands
of snow, blue and white-fronted geese flying south to their wintering grounds here in Louisiana -- they are quite a sight to view -- countless large formations of geese, some numbering well over a hundred geese -- they always fly in a "V" formation.

One thing that I have noticed: While flying in a "V" formation,
one side of the "V" is always longer than the other side --

so, a question to all of you with engineering/aeronautical/aerodynamics backgrounds:

Do you know why one side of the "V" is longer than the other side?

You are allowed to use a sliderule, computer, windtunnel analysis or other background research to answer.

You must find the answer within 5 minutes without scrolling down to the end of the post -- honor system

This answer applies to all geese flying in "V"'s in south Louisiana.

And the answer is:


The reason why one side of the "V" is longer than the other:

There are more geese on that side

I ask this question every autumn to first-time goose hunters
down here and no one has guessed the answer correctly yet.

In truth, the geese will exchange positions leading the "V" or "drafting" on the geese ahead of them -- pretty smart.

 

[Engineer1911]

It's not engineering, it's just legal mumbo-jumbo.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

That is a standard question to the newbies at the camp It really works well if you got a big city feller (like a New Orleans lawyer from one of those "top of the bank building" law firms) down for a hunt who knows it all

 

[Lee Barner]

it's cause there are more geese on that side. lee

 

[mjr]

In actuality, "drafting" has little to do with why geese fly in a V. The main reason is to ensure that no goose gets a faceful of goose poop.

 

[handejector]

Do you know why one side of the "V" is longer than the other side?

Duhhhhhhh.......
Its a arrownaughtycal ingernearin thing-

tha long side is the windyward side. Tha wind hits that long leg, and turns em slitely back into tha wind.
Utherwiz, theyd end up in Missasippey.
Never ovarluk tha obveus.
No charje for tha ejukashun!

 

[ogilvyspecial]

Duhhhhhhh.......
Its a arrownaughtycal ingernearin thing-

tha long side is the windyward side. Tha wind hits that long leg, and turns em slitely back into tha wind.
Utherwiz, theyd end up in Missasippey.
Never ovarluk tha obveus.
No charje for tha ejukashun!

Thanks for putting this into layman's terms.

 

[COL Jagdog]

That is a standard question to the newbies at the camp It really works well if you got a big city feller (like a New Orleans lawyer from one of those "top of the bank building" law firms) down for a hunt who knows it all

Caj, you figured it out -- I have won a couple of bottles of good bourbon betting new guys in the blind on that one.

 

[COL Jagdog]

Duhhhhhhh.......
Its a arrownaughtycal ingernearin thing-

tha long side is the windyward side. Tha wind hits that long leg, and turns em slitely back into tha wind.
Utherwiz, theyd end up in Missasippey.
Never ovarluk tha obveus.
No charje for tha ejukashun!

You rascal, you did go to LSU (or Oxford, not Oxford Mississippi, but Oxford, England -- King's College, given the
articulate, cogent, well-reasoned response --- fitting, since that is where Tarzan went to school, lol.

 

[rolomac]

But seriously - several times I have had a beautiful experience and wonder if others have too. Going to work in the morning at this time of year it's still dark. When I step out my door I pause for a moment to take a breath of beautiful cool mountain air and an interesting thing happens. High above me in the stillness is the sound of geese migrating. I can't see them in the darkness but they are there - way up - softly chattering as their V formation (with one side longer than the other) sails toward the south. It's a special moment that can't help but fill me with wonder at what I'm witnessing without even seeing it. Awesome !

rolomac

 

[Dmaxboy08]

The geese at either side of the V has an aerodynamic advantage. It does not matter which side, as long as there is a goose flying in front of another in the formation. The lead goose expends the most energy and they take turns being the lead. Since aerodynamic efficiency does not depend on the shape of the V, there is no disadvantage to have one arm of the V longer than the other. If there is no disadvantage, then there is no natural selection to make sure that geese fly in formations with equal numbers of geese at each arm of the formation. Whenever there is a lack of natural selection, natural variation can exist.

---come on guys....this is 1st grade stuff here

 

[bushmaster1313]

Do you know why one side of the "V" is longer than the other side?

Easy -- They are Slovak Geese flying in a Czech formation.

 

[charlie sherrill]

It's because they can't count. Three guys try to sneak up on a flock on the water and the geese see them and fly off. Two guys walk back to the truck and leave one guy hiding in the bushes and the geese come back and get shot by the guy left behind. Why? They have no mathematical skills. Probably why their "V" isn't straight.

 

[swampersand]

It's beyond me how an erudite and analytical group such as this can overlook the simple answer to the long side question, - there are ALWAYS fewer geese on the short side!

Hail Purdue

 

[Engineer1911]

Considering politics and weather, maybe we are just looking for some approved Forum humor.

Thank you all for the laugh or big smile. I believe we all needed this.

 

[roarindan]

soooo, do the older geese lead first (cause they know where their going)? or do they let the young'ns do all the work, and only "honk" directions???

 

[MP22]

The long arm of the V is always the windward side....and yes, they draft off of the bird in front of them. They will rotate into the lead position, and then back down the V to draft.

 

[rburg]

NOt sure we're over thinking this stuff. I often considered the idea they put the cutest female up at the front and all the male geese want to oogle her butt. It keeps them flying as fast as they can.

And I wonder how they switch positions. Does the leader just get a little tired so he drops back to the one side or the other, leaving the #2 on that side suddenly in the lead? Or does he peal off and go to the end of the side he picks, leaving one side #2 or the other to move up?

 

[427mach1]

The long arm of the V is always the windward side....and yes, they draft off of the bird in front of them. They will rotate into the lead position, and then back down the V to draft.

Actually it has been shown that it is not drafting in the traditional sense, i.e., drag reduction by occupying the wake of the bird in front because the birds are not flying one directly behind the other. It is actually an increase in lift. The lead bird's wing creates a tip vortex much like that of an aircraft wing. The rotation of the vortex is such that the wing of the following bird sees an updraft that increases the lift on his or her wing, decreasing the amount of work they must perform to create the lift necessary to fly.

 

[reddogge]

Don't you guys get it? It's the missing man formation.