Active Soaring Wings

  Active soaring wings are long and narrow. This shape lets birds glide on air currents with little effort. That way, they can travel long distances while rarely needing to flap their wings. These wings are especially common among seabirds. They use a combination of gliding, banking, and adjusting their wing positions to harness the power of rising air.

  Examples of birds with this wing type are albatrosses, gulls, and gannets. The Laysan Albatross has very long and narrow wings that are well-adapted for the strong, constant winds over parts of the ocean. Its up-and-down flight style allows it to use small differences in wind speed to go long distances without using a lot of energy.

  Active soaring birds are masters of adjusting their wing shapes and positions to optimize their flight. They can twist and turn their wings, creating different profiles that suit various flying conditions.