How come birds only fly in the letter V formation......?

Question

don't they know any other letters.....?

Answer 1

If there's enough, they fly in a W formation.

Answer 2

some fly in "I" formation when they are strafing freshly washed cars.

Answer 3

I just got a dirty thought in my head..............

Answer 4

It actually does have to do with wind resistance.  Birds flying just behind the wingtip of another bird benefit from some updraft resulting from the other bird's flapping.

Answer 5

Take a look at this, hope it helps!

http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/nat...

Answer 6

Because they are following the one in the front because he has the map.

Answer 7

I don't have a clue, but it would be fun being the lead bird, I would have the ones behind me making new letters as they tried to do the same maneuvers I did. Have to wonder if I had the lead and flew right next to a building if half of them would wipe out.

Answer 8

I've seen them in W's

Answer 9

Sometime they make a  M when they have two Vs and it's called a V but it's really a up side down V.

Answer 10

Who says they don't fly in other letter formations?  I have seen them fly in an 'M' before.  But most birds don't fly in any formation, just all jumbled up.  The reason that geese usually fly in a 'V' formation is for drafting purposes, so the lead goose or gander works the hardest and the others have the air 'broken' for them to be able to fly more easily.  They also fly in this formation because it is easier for them to 'talk' to each other in this formation, the sound travels better in a 'V' than say a 'Q' formation.

Answer 11

Aerodynamics.

Answer 12

Wind resistance. The bird in the front actually has to fly harder than the others. It gets the most wind resistance relieving the other birds of this. When the front bird gets tired it moves to the back so it can take a break and get less wind resitance. Then a new bird takes over the front. The letter V is the easiest formation to do this