Listen "Geese Whiffling in for a Landing"
Episode Synopsis
Looking at a Canada Goose, you might not think their bodies are designed for fancy flying. But watch as a flock of geese comes in for a landing at a lake and you might be surprised. If the flock comes in too fast or too high above the water, geese have a little trick to slow themselves down for a safe landing. The geese stop flapping and then quickly roll their bodies upside down, while twisting their long necks the right way up. Finally, they rotate again to right themselves just in time to gently splash down. It’s a maneuver called whiffling. It seems to help the geese slow down quickly – but sometimes it might just be for fun.More info and transcript at BirdNote.org. Want more BirdNote? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter. Sign up for BirdNote+ to get ad-free listening and other perks. BirdNote is a nonprofit. Your tax-deductible gift makes these shows possible. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
More episodes of the podcast BirdNote Daily
Dave Mull and the Courage of Steller’s Jays
22/10/2025
Hudsonian Godwit
20/10/2025
Seabirds Thriving on Volcanic Slopes
19/10/2025
Beaks and Grosbeaks
18/10/2025
Seeing the Rainbow in a Bird’s Feathers
17/10/2025
Sister Species: Snow Goose and Ross’s Goose
16/10/2025
Arizona Woodpecker and the Sierra Madre
15/10/2025
Silly Willow Ptarmigan
13/10/2025