Journey North Whooping Crane Migration

Why is Cool Air Best?
Joe Duff Audio Clip

Photo Operation Migration

Why is cool air best for Whooping Crane migration? Senior Pilot Joe Duff of Operation Migration answers in this audio clip. Joe's words appear below so you can follow along as he speaks.

Joe Duff of Operation Migration

"Cooler air is more dense than warmer air. Warm air can actually hold more moisture because there's more room for moisture. When it's dense and compact (when it's cold) it's thicker, so when you breathe in you get more oxygen. When you do a wingbeat there's more to push against. When the propeller spins there's more thrust. When the wing flies there's more lift to it. The aircraft works better, the engine works better, the propeller works better, the wing works better. And for the birds, their wings work better, they get more oxygen and it's easier to cool their bodies. They don't overheat.

"So it's just a lot easier to fly in cold air. So that's really a big factor in their endurance. If they have warm air then it just wears them out very quickly. You see them panting quickly, their tongues come out, they start to splay their feet to help cool their bodies, and they just can't fly."

Try This! Journal Questions

Summarize Joe's answer in your own words.
List behaviors that show a crane is getting tired during flight. Why do you think that splaying their feet (spread their toes apart) helps to cool off the crane?

Journey North is pleased to feature this educational adventure made possible by the
Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP).