Scott and Blake Dickerson proudly display the mornings take.

With the forecast for this past weekend calling for thunderstorms and temperatures in the 70’s I was not enthused about the possibilities for hunting. However, my good friend Scott Dickerson’s son Blake’s enthusiasm for hunting provided me the needed incentive to make the drive to the duck camp, break out the mosquito juice and rain gear and make the best of one of the few weekends we get each season. As an old saying goes “you cannot shoot’em form the couch!”

Saturday morning started with the worst of conditions, clouds, warm (58F) and a slight south wind. As you might expect the ducks were not flying and the geese were a mile high. Everything looked down on us as if we were in an aquarium and despite being hidden in a well camouflaged pit blind the birds knew and saw that we were there. Our mornings’ efforts produced an anxious young man and a lone gadwall that made one pass to close and provided Elvis his only retrieve of the morning.

This was not the excitement a 10 year-old was expecting and his disappointment was evident. However, the morning did provide an opportunity to discuss why we hunt and to remind this young gun that shooting plays a small role (although and important one) in each hunt. It also provided opportunity for fellowship. Although we talk often, I had not seen Scott or Blake since a hunt on the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge the last day of last season. On that 
A group of Canada geese fly out to feed in "v" formation.

The linear flight formations of migratory birds are called echelons. The V and the J structures are typical and are the most readily recognized flock echelons, but other variations also occur. Studies of several species have shown that a true V-shaped echelon is, in fact, less common than a J formation is.

There are two well-supported and complementary explanations for why birds fly in formation. One is to conserve energy by taking advantage of the upwash vortex fields created by the wings of the birds in front. The other is to facilitate orientation and communication among the birds. These explanations are not mutually exclusive, and both have been backed by a variety of studies.

The relative importance of each undoubtedly shifts as various factors, such as the season of the year or the purpose of individual flights, change. During local feeding flights, for example, energy conservation is probably much less important than careful orientation and collision avoidance are. During long-distance migration, orientation and communication remain necessary, but there is also much to be gained for each bird in the flock by optimizing its position to conserve energy.

White-fronted geese in a modified "V".

Fluid dynamics and energy wave configuration calculations have been used to test predictions of where birds should position themselves in relation to others to conserve the most energy as they travel through the air. Analyses of flock formations using photography have measured bird positions and found them to almost always be located such that they gain some energetic advantage. The animals are not very often in the expected optimal location, however, indicating that other factors also influence position in the formation.

Knowledge of birds’ visual axes, "blind spots" and field of vision have allowed researchers to pinpoint the best locations for birds within a flock to maintain optimal visual positioning. Actual positions of the animals are usually positively related to these predictions but are, again, not always optimal. Studies have categorized the positions of birds and found that some individuals take positions that are most closely predicted to satisfy the energy conservation hypothesis; others are in better visual contact positions; and still others are not apparently responding to either benefit or are in a position that should gain some advantage from both benefits.

The leaders of formations change from time to time, but the causes, frequency and characteristics of these changes have not yet been determined. Sustained observation from the ground of flocks covering great distances in the air is very difficult. There are plenty of intuitive predictions about leader choice that quickly come to mind relative to the age, experience, sex, condition and social status of the leaders, but researchers have not figured out how to overcome the prohibitive logistic issues to test them.

Some scientists have trained birds to fly in formation with small aircraft; perhaps their experiences will yield opportunities to test these ideas.

Check Out:

Ducks Unlimited’s Great Plains Regional Office seeks highly-motivated research technicians to participate in an ongoing study of waterfowl populations. We are currently studying reproductive success of ducks and shorebirds in the Prairie Pothole Region of North and South Dakota. We will have field crews stationed in Stanley, ND, Woodworth, ND, Kulm, ND, and Long Lake, SD during April-July 2008.

Major responsibilities will include searching for waterfowl nests using ATVs, monitoring duck and shorebird nests, banding female ducks and ducklings, and conducting brood surveys. Successful applicants will be expected to work six long (10-hr to 12-hr) days each week (i.e., 60hr-72hr per week). Fieldwork is physically and mentally demanding and takes place under challenging conditions. Therefore, only enthusiastic, dedicated individuals should apply. A strong interest in waterfowl, a desire to spend long days in the field, and the determination to get the job done well is required. Experience nest searching; identifying waterfowl; trapping, marking, and handling waterfowl; and conducting waterfowl surveys is preferred. Preferred applicants will also have experience with field data collection, handheld computers, and GPS systems and will be inquisitive, detail-oriented, and self-motivated. Technicians will be expected to work effectively with and without direct supervision.

Most positions will last for approximately 3 months and begin approximately 15 April. We also plan to fill four positions with start dates of 1 May -15 May. End dates will range from 15 July to 31 July. A minimum of 16 positions will be filled including four crew leader positions. Salary is $1800/month for technicians and $2000/month for crew leaders. Housing is provided. Deadline for applications is 31 January 2008.

Electronic submissions are encouraged. Send letter of interest (must include date available to start work), resume, and daytime contact information for three references to

Johann Walker