Friday (Dec 17th) commemorated the Wright Brothers’ first successful flight in a “heavier-than-air”, mechanically propelled aircraft. So BBC Earth is celebrating by bringing together some of their favorite images and videos of nature’s greatest fliers!
Shearwaters:
These seabirds get their name from a special technique of flying known as ‘shearing’, in which they fly across waves with stiff wings and so the minimum amount of actual flying.
Demoiselle cranes:
The Nepalese often refer to Everest as ‘the mountain higher than any bird can fly’ but tell that to the Demoiselle crane. Able to reach altitudes as high as 26,000 feet these incredibly tough birds cross the Himalayas every winter to reach the warmth of India.