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1
00:00:04,520 --> 00:00:09,120
The sky is one of the most
challenging places to live.
2
00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:13,920
But all across the world,
extraordinary animals do
3
00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,640
something we can only dream of...
4
00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:21,040
..take to the air.
5
00:00:24,320 --> 00:00:26,800
Some spend their whole lives
up here.
6
00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:33,760
Others only visit for a moment.
7
00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:40,520
We'll discover how many incredible
animals thrive in the sky...
8
00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:46,360
..and what clever tricks
they use to get airborne.
9
00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,600
With the help of some specially
trained animals,
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00:00:51,600 --> 00:00:56,160
the latest technology
and special effects techniques,
11
00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,160
we'll reveal brand-new discoveries
12
00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:02,800
that explain how animals
take to the skies.
13
00:01:05,120 --> 00:01:07,960
This is Life In The Air.
14
00:01:17,600 --> 00:01:20,920
It's one thing to take to the air
15
00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:22,640
and let gravity do the rest...
16
00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:26,440
..but to stay airborne,
17
00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,000
to master true flight,
18
00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:33,800
you need to push the laws
of physics right to the very edge...
19
00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,640
..using power, speed,
20
00:01:38,640 --> 00:01:42,400
agility, endurance
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00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:43,960
and acceleration.
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00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:49,160
These are the masters of the sky.
23
00:02:05,400 --> 00:02:08,480
Meet the whooper swan,
24
00:02:08,480 --> 00:02:12,320
one of the largest and heaviest
of all flying creatures.
25
00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:19,200
Every year, families
fly enormous distances,
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00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:23,520
migrating between vital feeding
and breeding areas.
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00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:29,320
But weighing a whopping 14 kilos,
28
00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:31,520
how are swans able to fly at all...
29
00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:35,040
..let alone so far?
30
00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:40,160
To push the limits
of what's possible in the air
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00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,800
they need strength -
and lots of it - every day.
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00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:52,960
To fuel their huge bodies,
swans need to eat
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00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:55,960
over a kilogram of vegetation a day.
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00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:59,440
They're constantly in search
of enough food to survive.
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And that means flying.
36
00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,440
But when you're this size,
just taking off
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is nearly impossible and requires
some very clever techniques.
38
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So, how does he do it?
39
00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:21,920
To get airborne,
he's going to need raw power...
40
00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:27,640
..and apply it
in a very precise way.
41
00:03:57,160 --> 00:03:59,680
First, he must break free
of the water,
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but it clings to his body,
holding him back.
43
00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:12,600
His huge webbed feet need to
drive him upwards and forwards.
44
00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:23,080
Now his gigantic metre-long wings
can move freely.
45
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They push air down and back,
delivering yet more power
46
00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:30,480
to accelerate him further.
47
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Wings and feet work together to give
him the speed he needs to take off.
48
00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:49,880
Once at this speed,
49
00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,400
the air is moving fast enough
over his wings to create a huge
50
00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,280
upward force called lift.
51
00:04:56,280 --> 00:04:58,680
This fights the downward pull
of gravity.
52
00:05:00,440 --> 00:05:02,960
So how is lift created?
53
00:05:05,280 --> 00:05:08,840
The special shape of his wing,
known as an aerofoil,
54
00:05:08,840 --> 00:05:12,680
causes air to flow differently
above and below his wing,
55
00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:14,880
and this affects its pressure.
56
00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:20,120
With low pressure above
and high pressure below,
57
00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:22,040
the wing is pushed upwards.
58
00:05:31,000 --> 00:05:35,120
The faster the swan goes,
the more air flows over the wing,
59
00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:38,240
and that creates more lift.
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00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,880
He needs to reach
21 kilometres an hour,
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00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:46,040
the critical speed where lift
cancels out gravity altogether.
62
00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:52,840
Then it's undercarriage up,
and we have takeoff.
63
00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:05,320
For such a huge bird to take
to the sky,
64
00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:08,880
everything must come together
in one explosive moment
65
00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,040
that lasts just a few seconds.
66
00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:28,080
Once he's really flying,
the same air that helped him
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00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:30,720
get up here gives him
a new challenge.
68
00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:37,200
As he powers forwards,
the air pushes him back,
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00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:39,200
a force known as drag,
70
00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:42,560
slowing him down
and reducing the lift in his wings.
71
00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:49,800
By beating his wings, he creates
a constant source of power
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00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:51,520
to maintain air speed.
73
00:06:53,920 --> 00:06:57,600
Without this thrust, he would
soon slow to a standstill...
74
00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:01,400
..and literally drop out of the sky.
75
00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:11,720
So swans must keep flapping,
76
00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:15,040
all the way
to their new feeding grounds.
77
00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:21,880
All flying animals have to wrestle
the powerful conflicting forces
78
00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:26,320
of gravity, lift and drag,
79
00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:29,880
but the faster they go,
the thicker the oncoming air feels,
80
00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:32,600
and drag becomes
an ever bigger problem.
81
00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:38,960
So what if you're one of the fastest
animals on the planet,
82
00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:43,320
and you're moving at more
than 320 kilometres an hour?
83
00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:57,400
The peregrine falcon.
84
00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:05,640
Its breakneck speed
gives it the edge to surprise
85
00:08:05,640 --> 00:08:08,760
and strike its prey
with devastating force.
86
00:08:16,360 --> 00:08:18,440
It's spring here in California,
87
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and a pair of peregrines
has a new family,
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and with it, a new problem.
89
00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:29,600
At four weeks old, each ravenous
chick eats more than an adult,
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so both parents need to hunt
successfully every day.
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00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:38,920
Feeding their growing youngsters
is a full time job.
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00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:50,720
So what is it about peregrines
that makes them
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so much faster than almost
any other animal on the planet?
94
00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:00,800
They've got flying
at speed perfected,
95
00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:02,720
down to the tiniest detail.
96
00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:08,760
See-through eyelids stop their eyes
drying out...
97
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..and specially shaped nostrils
98
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slow down the air to make breathing
possible at high speed.
99
00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:20,320
When off on a hunt,
100
00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:23,800
a peregrine uses updrafts
from the cliff face to gain height.
101
00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:35,640
Up here, it can spot potential prey.
102
00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,640
And when it does,
it starts a specialist dive,
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known as a stoop.
104
00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:47,000
A few deep wing strokes
help it accelerate
105
00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,200
to 190 kilometres an hour.
106
00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:59,360
At this speed, oncoming air
smashes into every part
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00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:02,680
of the peregrine's body,
slowing it down.
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By tucking in its wings, the falcon
can slip through the air
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that much easier
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so now 240 kilometres an hour
becomes possible.
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But the faster you go,
the more of a problem drag becomes.
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00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:32,760
At top speeds, every bump on
a bird's body will disturb the air
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flowing over it,
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and this turbulence
slows the peregrine down.
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00:10:38,680 --> 00:10:42,200
But that same turbulence makes
special feathers pop up over
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the peregrine's back,
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and this pulls
the air back into line
118
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so it flows smoothly
over its body again.
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With drag minimised, peregrines
can top 320 kilometres an hour.
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00:11:01,680 --> 00:11:05,040
At this speed, they can cover
the length of a football pitch
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in only a second.
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00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:15,040
This sheer, unadulterated speed
makes them masters of aerial attack.
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00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:25,680
Top-gun skills allow these falcon
parents to keep their chicks fed.
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But these same skills
also allow them
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to protect the chicks from anything
they think might attack the nest.
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They really don't like intruders.
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At the slightest hint of a threat,
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the falcons will scramble
and intercept in seconds.
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The falcon may be smaller and less
powerful than many of her targets,
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00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:13,120
but pure speed gives her the edge
to harass
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and then escape
before they can react.
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Pelicans are ten times her size,
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and here's a whole squadron of them.
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00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:34,040
But size is no match for precision,
high-speed flying.
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Each attack aims to disrupt
the pelican's own flight.
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Just jerking their head to one side
is all it takes to send
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the pelican out of control.
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00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:12,000
Meanwhile, her own high-speed,
top-gun skills
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keep her out of harm's way.
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00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:28,200
Speed helps a peregrine mother
own the skies around her nest.
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00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:35,120
But what if you're
a high-speed hunter
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and you don't have big, wide open
airspaces to fly in?
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What if you lived in
an English country garden?
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Flying fast, close to the ground,
145
00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:59,000
and around a veritable assault
course of obstacles...
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..there's a skilful hunter
that does just this.
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Meet the master of high-speed
aerial agility - the sparrow hawk.
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00:14:14,360 --> 00:14:15,920
As his name suggests,
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this pocket-sized predator
hunts small birds,
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00:14:18,760 --> 00:14:21,640
using surprise as his strategy.
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00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:24,960
And this is how it works.
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The targets are right in the middle
of a garden over 50 metres away,
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with escape routes
in all directions.
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He'll need to use as much cover
as possible to hide his approach.
155
00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:45,440
And by knowing every tree and shrub
in his territory,
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he can pick the perfect route -
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skimming hedges
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and hurtling through the undergrowth
to maximise the element of surprise.
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But there could be 20 pairs
of eyes on the lookout.
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And if any of them spot him,
they'll sound the alarm.
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Nine out of ten sparrow hawk hunts
fail because of this,
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so he's got to be fast and agile,
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and strike in just four seconds.
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Few flying creatures can do this.
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But then few have the sparrow hawk's
supreme flying abilities.
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He has explosive acceleration.
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Long legs fire him
out of the blocks.
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Short, rounded wings powerfully
scoop up the air, driving
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00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:54,080
his lightweight body forwards
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to hit attack speed
in under two seconds.
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00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:07,440
Now at speed, he keeps a low
profile, hugging the ground.
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This low position gives him
an extra advantage.
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The air is squeezed
between his wings and the ground,
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00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:21,400
giving him a high pressure
air cushion to ride on.
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This keeps him airborne
and saves valuable energy.
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But hurtling along at
50 kilometres an hour gives him
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just hundredths of a second
to avoid a collision.
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00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:44,280
Short wings are pulled in to pass
through the tiniest gaps.
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A long tail does the steering,
constantly making fine adjustments.
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And when he needs to turn sharply,
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00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:04,720
he slams on the brakes by fanning
it out.
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As he gets closer,
precision flying becomes critical.
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00:17:24,480 --> 00:17:27,640
He needs to stay hidden
until the very last moment.
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00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:33,720
The last thing a garden bird
might see...is this.
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It's all over in seconds.
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The sparrow hawk masters the skies
with speed and agility,
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00:18:04,240 --> 00:18:07,800
but what if you have neither
speed nor agility?
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00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:14,240
There's a creature
that's so slow and clumsy
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many would doubt
it could fly at all.
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00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:20,520
And yet, it performs
the seemingly impossible.
191
00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:31,520
The Japanese rhinoceros beetle
is covered in protective armour.
192
00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:38,880
In the world of beetles,
he's a colossus,
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weighing a hefty 10g.
194
00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:51,000
He's on a mission to find a mate,
and she could be miles away.
195
00:18:53,120 --> 00:18:57,400
He doesn't have long,
and it's too far to walk.
196
00:18:57,400 --> 00:18:59,600
So he has to fly.
197
00:19:01,480 --> 00:19:05,240
But attempting to fly whilst
carrying all that heavy body armour,
198
00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:09,800
he's going to need a combination
of power and some extreme moves.
199
00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:38,160
So how does such a huge beetle
stay airborne?
200
00:19:40,560 --> 00:19:42,880
He has a special flight technique,
201
00:19:42,880 --> 00:19:45,160
very different to that
of most birds.
202
00:19:48,520 --> 00:19:52,840
Slowed down, you can see that
he twists his wing at the base.
203
00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,280
We need a special flight laboratory
to see how this helps.
204
00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:07,400
Now we can see just how the air
moves around the beetle's wing.
205
00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:13,400
Those mini tornadoes
spinning off the wing show where
206
00:20:13,400 --> 00:20:16,840
the beetle is pushing the air back,
thrusting him forwards.
207
00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:25,400
And because it's being pushed down,
we know he's also producing lift.
208
00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:31,000
So far, that's much like a bird.
209
00:20:36,240 --> 00:20:39,440
But critically, by twisting
his wings at the base,
210
00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:43,200
he can also push air backwards
as they move back up.
211
00:20:46,840 --> 00:20:48,160
And there's the proof.
212
00:20:49,840 --> 00:20:54,320
This gives him thrust on both
the down stroke and the upstroke,
213
00:20:54,320 --> 00:20:57,320
and that's something
that most birds can't do.
214
00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:01,920
But he doesn't leave it there.
215
00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:06,040
Even his armoured wing cases
are working in his favour,
216
00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:08,920
forcing air down
to create even more lift.
217
00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:13,960
So he effectively
has an extra pair of wings.
218
00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:26,760
This magnificent beetle
is a flying marvel.
219
00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:30,360
His clever wings give him
the extra lift
220
00:21:30,360 --> 00:21:34,280
and thrust that he needs to cruise
at nearly 15 kilometres an hour.
221
00:21:35,960 --> 00:21:37,960
He's hardly a boy racer,
222
00:21:37,960 --> 00:21:40,240
nor is a he a long-distance flyer,
223
00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:43,840
but he can cover half a kilometre
in a night.
224
00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:47,200
And in a jungle,
that's enough to find a female.
225
00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:52,280
This huge beetle's flying mission
may have seemed impossible,
226
00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:53,920
but it's worth the effort.
227
00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:57,920
Special wings that rotate
at the base
228
00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:01,240
allow the beetle to get
more from the air around him,
229
00:22:01,240 --> 00:22:04,480
keeping him airborne,
albeit, rather clumsily.
230
00:22:08,440 --> 00:22:12,040
But in Central America,
there are other creatures who have
231
00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:14,400
taken this to the next level
232
00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:18,360
using this technique to fly
in almost any direction
233
00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:20,520
with ultimate precision.
234
00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:29,120
They're not insects but tiny birds.
235
00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:37,160
Hummingbirds,
each the size of your little finger.
236
00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,880
To the human eye,
their flight is no more than a blur.
237
00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:59,360
It's only when slowed down
50 times you can appreciate
238
00:22:59,360 --> 00:23:01,160
their incredible control.
239
00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:19,800
So, why are hummingbirds so special?
240
00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:28,200
This is one of the world's
most spectacular flyers,
241
00:23:28,200 --> 00:23:31,200
a booted racket-tail hummingbird.
242
00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:35,320
On the face of it, he's got it made.
243
00:23:35,320 --> 00:23:38,800
Here in Ecuador, his forest home
is full of flowers,
244
00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:41,560
each with sugar-rich nectar
hidden inside.
245
00:23:45,800 --> 00:23:47,920
But he has a problem.
246
00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:50,480
These flowers don't provide perches,
247
00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:53,120
neither do they make nectar
easy to get at.
248
00:24:04,880 --> 00:24:08,480
Now the hummingbird's extraordinary
flight technique starts to
249
00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:09,520
makes sense.
250
00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:15,640
It hovers so it can move
its needle-like beak into position
251
00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:17,160
with surgical precision.
252
00:24:19,120 --> 00:24:21,200
Running down the inside of the beak,
253
00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:25,520
a forked tongue laps up the nectar
at up to 13 times a second.
254
00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:31,360
But just performing a simple hover
breaks all the rules
255
00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:34,800
of traditional flight,
so how does he do it?
256
00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:39,800
It's a technique similar
to the beetle's,
257
00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:41,920
but impossible for other birds,
258
00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:44,760
and requires a very special pair
of wings.
259
00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:52,080
They're short and stiff to cope
with the stress of beating
260
00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:53,560
at up to 80 times a second.
261
00:24:59,160 --> 00:25:02,920
But it's how a hummingbird beats
its wings that allows it to hover.
262
00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:11,640
On close inspection, the wing tips
move in a figure of eight.
263
00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:19,360
A unique wrist joint means the wing
can rotate through up
264
00:25:19,360 --> 00:25:20,920
to 140 degrees...
265
00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,560
..so he can thrust air
down and back
266
00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:28,920
not only on the down stroke
but also on the upstroke.
267
00:25:30,120 --> 00:25:31,840
That gets him hovering.
268
00:25:36,440 --> 00:25:40,080
By having constant power,
he can also make tiny adjustments
269
00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:43,560
throughout the wing beat,
and this gives him more control.
270
00:25:51,120 --> 00:25:54,000
Added precision comes from the way
he rolls his body,
271
00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:56,680
instantly changing the angle
he's pushing at.
272
00:25:58,840 --> 00:26:03,320
With incredible wings like these,
he can fly forwards, left,
273
00:26:03,320 --> 00:26:06,040
right, even backwards.
274
00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:12,160
This gives him the power and control
he needs to get at the nectar
275
00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:13,880
and move between the flowers.
276
00:26:15,200 --> 00:26:19,640
But this super powered flying
ability comes at a huge cost.
277
00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:26,920
A thermal camera shows just how much
heat is given off when hovering.
278
00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:31,240
This heat is just a fraction
of the energy that a hummingbird
279
00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:32,800
needs to stay airborne.
280
00:26:34,280 --> 00:26:38,000
Hovering burns far more calories
than any other form of flight.
281
00:26:39,480 --> 00:26:42,080
To provide his muscles
with enough oxygen,
282
00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:45,160
his heart has to beat
at 20 times a second,
283
00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:48,840
and he needs to drink his body
weight in sugary nectar every day.
284
00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:59,080
In fact, this tiny little bird
has the highest metabolism
285
00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:00,840
of any warm-blooded animal.
286
00:27:10,120 --> 00:27:13,600
So our hummingbird might have
the ultimate control in the air,
287
00:27:13,600 --> 00:27:17,120
but he'll always be a slave
to his uniquely manic lifestyle.
288
00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:22,320
Trapped in a world where
he needs to hover to feed
289
00:27:22,320 --> 00:27:24,560
and needs to feed to hover.
290
00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:36,760
Hummingbirds can afford
a high-energy lifestyle
291
00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:38,960
because food is always close by.
292
00:27:42,120 --> 00:27:45,760
But what if your next meal
is hundreds of kilometres away
293
00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:47,760
and you have to go searching for it?
294
00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:54,680
You're going to need a completely
different flight technique.
295
00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:59,440
Patrolling the ocean around
South Island, New Zealand,
296
00:27:59,440 --> 00:28:02,480
this is a royal albatross.
297
00:28:05,240 --> 00:28:08,800
Albatrosses spend the vast majority
of their lives out at sea.
298
00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:12,360
The one time
they need land is to nest.
299
00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:27,280
This albatross is providing for
one of the world's biggest chicks.
300
00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:36,960
At two months old, her chick
will eat half a kilo of fish
301
00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:39,480
and squid in a single sitting,
302
00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:42,760
so she'll have to travel far
and push the limits of flying.
303
00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:47,880
She's chosen to nest
on this wind-blasted cliff
304
00:28:47,880 --> 00:28:49,520
for a very good reason.
305
00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:53,240
To take off, she spreads
her three-metre wings,
306
00:28:53,240 --> 00:28:55,880
and the cliff top wind
provides the lift.
307
00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:02,560
Ungainly on land,
she is now in her element.
308
00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:24,440
Out here, fish and squid can be
extremely difficult to come by.
309
00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:29,080
So a mother albatross
will scour the ocean
310
00:29:29,080 --> 00:29:31,240
for up to 1,000 kilometres a day.
311
00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:37,280
During her lifetime,
312
00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:41,600
she'll travel nearly
two and a half million kilometres.
313
00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:44,880
That's to the moon
and back three times.
314
00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:50,920
And remarkably, she can do this
with barely a wing beat.
315
00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:55,640
She's one of the world's
most efficient fliers,
316
00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:58,360
using the energy of the air
just above the ocean
317
00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:00,440
to save her own energy.
318
00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:03,200
She's riding the air
like a rollercoaster,
319
00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:05,320
in a super efficient way.
320
00:30:07,840 --> 00:30:10,280
But snaking from side to side
like this
321
00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:12,880
seems to make no sense at all
322
00:30:12,880 --> 00:30:17,080
until you understand
how air behaves above water.
323
00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:24,880
At the water surface, the air
collides with the rough waves,
324
00:30:24,880 --> 00:30:27,200
slowing it down
to a virtual standstill.
325
00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:33,760
But ten metres above the waves,
the air flows that much faster.
326
00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:42,320
It's this difference in air speed
that allows the clever albatross
327
00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:43,640
to fly for free.
328
00:30:51,600 --> 00:30:55,160
By sweeping up and down,
she can use both the fast air
329
00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:57,160
ten metres above the waves
330
00:30:57,160 --> 00:30:59,760
and the still air
at the water's surface.
331
00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:05,280
And here's where the sheer
efficiency of those long,
332
00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:07,280
narrow wings is so important.
333
00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:12,120
As she climbs into the faster wind,
334
00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:15,440
she can create more
and more free lift.
335
00:31:16,680 --> 00:31:20,320
Then with height on her side,
she turns sharply,
336
00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:24,560
and a combination of gravity and
wind now slingshots her downwards
337
00:31:24,560 --> 00:31:27,160
up to 120 kilometres an hour.
338
00:31:34,600 --> 00:31:37,320
Known as dynamic soaring,
339
00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:40,640
the ability to use changes
in air speed like this
340
00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:44,240
means that albatrosses
rarely need to flap their wings.
341
00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:54,840
This energy-saving technique
allows them to travel
342
00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:58,080
huge distances to find food
in the open ocean.
343
00:31:59,560 --> 00:32:00,880
And when you're a mother,
344
00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:04,720
scraps from a fishing boat are
too good an opportunity to miss.
345
00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:20,640
Now full of food, an albatross's
next challenge is to get home again.
346
00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:26,800
But unlike before, when she could
wander in any direction,
347
00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:30,160
she must now fly
directly back to her chick,
348
00:32:30,160 --> 00:32:33,040
even if that means
heading straight into the wind.
349
00:32:36,480 --> 00:32:39,040
Once again, she reads
the air in front of her
350
00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:41,320
and uses its movement
to her advantage.
351
00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:49,800
Albatrosses use a special organ
hidden inside their nostrils
352
00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:52,600
to constantly measure
tiny changes in air speed.
353
00:32:55,360 --> 00:32:58,600
This guides her to pockets
of still air behind each wave.
354
00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:03,240
Flying is much easier here.
355
00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:11,520
And when she needs extra lift,
356
00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:16,800
she can even seek out upwards moving
air that flows over each wave crest.
357
00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:27,520
This way, she can fly all the way
home really efficiently,
358
00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:28,840
even against the wind.
359
00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:42,720
The chick gets fed
because its mother can read the air
360
00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:44,360
and ride it effortlessly.
361
00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:49,480
In six months,
it will be doing the same.
362
00:33:54,280 --> 00:33:58,480
The albatross's ability to fly
far in search of food allows it
363
00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:01,640
to exploit the patchy resources
of the Southern Ocean.
364
00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:04,680
But they aren't the only creatures
365
00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:08,760
that survive by travelling
huge distances.
366
00:34:08,760 --> 00:34:10,920
Others move with the seasons,
367
00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:13,680
flying between winter
and summer homes,
368
00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:16,400
in the biggest journey
of their lives.
369
00:34:18,920 --> 00:34:19,960
Migration.
370
00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:24,520
Over thousands of kilometres,
371
00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:28,720
across countries,
sometimes even entire continents.
372
00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:38,000
Insects, bats and birds all make
these journeys to find food,
373
00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:39,880
and breed as the seasons change.
374
00:34:45,760 --> 00:34:48,560
These are some of the toughest
physical challenges
375
00:34:48,560 --> 00:34:50,920
any animal undertakes.
376
00:34:53,120 --> 00:34:57,640
Many die en route, and exhaustion
is the biggest killer.
377
00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:04,200
So any way that you can save energy
might save your life.
378
00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:14,240
There's one animal that that flies
with incredible efficiency,
379
00:35:14,240 --> 00:35:17,320
not on its own but as a team.
380
00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:24,440
European cranes migrate
nearly 3,000 kilometres every year
381
00:35:24,440 --> 00:35:26,680
between their wintering grounds
in Spain
382
00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:28,880
and their summer home
in Scandinavia.
383
00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:34,760
These cranes travel
together as a family,
384
00:35:34,760 --> 00:35:38,200
with the chicks
learning from their parents.
385
00:35:38,200 --> 00:35:40,920
It's how they fly as a group
that's going to give them
386
00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:44,400
all a crucial advantage
on their long and arduous journey.
387
00:35:48,240 --> 00:35:50,200
Adult pairs mate for life,
388
00:35:50,200 --> 00:35:53,880
and they dance together every year
to strengthen family bonds.
389
00:35:58,240 --> 00:36:01,800
THEY WARBLE
390
00:36:15,400 --> 00:36:17,200
This is no frivolity.
391
00:36:17,200 --> 00:36:20,560
How they bond and work together
might make the difference
392
00:36:20,560 --> 00:36:24,480
between life and death,
particularly for the youngsters.
393
00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:31,640
To understand how teamwork
helps them,
394
00:36:31,640 --> 00:36:34,880
we need to see the world
from a crane's perspective.
395
00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:44,520
Cranes are relatively large
and heavy birds,
396
00:36:44,520 --> 00:36:47,560
yet they'll fly multiple marathons
in just one day.
397
00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:51,200
This burns a lot of energy.
398
00:36:52,760 --> 00:36:56,680
Like albatrosses, they're going
to have to fly efficiently
399
00:36:56,680 --> 00:36:59,760
if they're going to make
the distance.
400
00:36:59,760 --> 00:37:01,600
But unlike albatrosses,
401
00:37:01,600 --> 00:37:05,760
cranes can't rely on saving energy
by soaring all the time.
402
00:37:10,880 --> 00:37:12,760
To make this journey,
403
00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:15,160
they will need to flap
their wings hard...
404
00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:21,440
..so they make every flap
count by working together,
405
00:37:21,440 --> 00:37:24,000
and that means formation flying.
406
00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:34,520
All crane species will fly
in the same ingenious way.
407
00:37:41,080 --> 00:37:42,520
Each flock member flies
408
00:37:42,520 --> 00:37:46,440
slightly behind and slightly
to the side of the bird in front,
409
00:37:46,440 --> 00:37:48,800
creating a characteristic V shape.
410
00:37:53,200 --> 00:37:55,520
But each bird
must be positioned exactly
411
00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:57,520
if the teamwork is going to pay off.
412
00:37:58,880 --> 00:38:02,440
To understand why, we need to see
how the air moves
413
00:38:02,440 --> 00:38:04,400
around a crane wing in flight.
414
00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:12,120
Each bird leaves a wake
in the air behind it.
415
00:38:12,120 --> 00:38:15,600
A tube of spiralling air
trailing behind the wing tip
416
00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:18,400
still contains energy
from the bird's last flap.
417
00:38:20,560 --> 00:38:23,440
If the bird behind
gets in the right position,
418
00:38:23,440 --> 00:38:27,040
it can use the upward motion
of the spiral to keep itself up,
419
00:38:27,040 --> 00:38:29,520
and therefore save its own energy.
420
00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:35,960
So one flap can be used
by more than one bird,
421
00:38:35,960 --> 00:38:38,360
they're literally sharing the load.
422
00:38:46,720 --> 00:38:49,960
Formation flying could save
each bird in the team
423
00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:52,560
over 10% of its energy.
424
00:38:52,560 --> 00:38:55,640
On a long migration,
this could make the difference
425
00:38:55,640 --> 00:38:57,760
between success and failure.
426
00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:09,360
The leader of the V formation
has to work the hardest,
427
00:39:09,360 --> 00:39:12,840
with no energy to inherit
from the birds in front of it,
428
00:39:12,840 --> 00:39:15,560
so the cranes take it in turn
to lead
429
00:39:15,560 --> 00:39:18,160
and share the work around the team.
430
00:39:21,920 --> 00:39:24,800
They also share their knowledge.
431
00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:27,760
Youngsters learn the migration
route from their parents,
432
00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:31,120
so eventually they'll be able
to lead a family of their own.
433
00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:38,160
Cranes may not be the strongest
or the fastest flyers,
434
00:39:38,160 --> 00:39:39,840
but their technique as a team
435
00:39:39,840 --> 00:39:42,520
gets them to their breeding grounds
each year.
436
00:39:49,280 --> 00:39:52,480
Formation flying
is used by many birds,
437
00:39:52,480 --> 00:39:55,400
it's an energy-saving trick
that makes long distances
438
00:39:55,400 --> 00:39:56,800
that little bit easier.
439
00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:08,120
Many flying creatures have one
particular flying skill that
440
00:40:08,120 --> 00:40:09,920
gives them an edge.
441
00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:14,440
But perfecting one skill means you
might not be so good at others.
442
00:40:17,440 --> 00:40:21,440
When you're built for speed,
it's difficult to be an acrobat.
443
00:40:24,800 --> 00:40:27,920
Amazing acceleration burns energy,
444
00:40:27,920 --> 00:40:30,800
but that's no good if
you're a long distance flyer.
445
00:40:37,880 --> 00:40:41,320
And if you need to power
a large body into the air,
446
00:40:41,320 --> 00:40:44,680
being manoeuvrable becomes
more of a challenge.
447
00:40:53,440 --> 00:40:56,040
It can work to be a specialist,
448
00:40:56,040 --> 00:40:58,800
but what if you need to be good
at everything?
449
00:40:59,840 --> 00:41:03,040
What if you need to combine
many different flying skills
450
00:41:03,040 --> 00:41:05,040
into the ultimate flying machine?
451
00:41:06,200 --> 00:41:09,560
There are some creatures
who've done just that.
452
00:41:09,560 --> 00:41:14,880
They aren't birds,
they aren't bugs - they're mammals.
453
00:41:20,680 --> 00:41:22,760
Dawn in Texas,
454
00:41:22,760 --> 00:41:25,360
and half a million
Brazilian free-tailed bats
455
00:41:25,360 --> 00:41:27,960
are returning home
after a night out feeding.
456
00:41:29,920 --> 00:41:31,480
During the next few seconds,
457
00:41:31,480 --> 00:41:34,280
their flight skills will be
pushed to the limits.
458
00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:39,000
For these aerial masters,
the last part of their journey is
459
00:41:39,000 --> 00:41:41,960
the most dangerous.
460
00:41:41,960 --> 00:41:43,680
Predatory hawks are waiting.
461
00:41:53,120 --> 00:41:56,680
The bats are heading
to the safety of a cave.
462
00:41:56,680 --> 00:42:00,120
Their challenge is to completely
change the way they fly
463
00:42:00,120 --> 00:42:01,560
more than once.
464
00:42:09,960 --> 00:42:12,080
First fly fast,
465
00:42:12,080 --> 00:42:14,280
topping a 100 kilometres an hour.
466
00:42:16,800 --> 00:42:20,360
Next, hit the brakes as they fly
into the pitch dark.
467
00:42:23,600 --> 00:42:28,320
Finally, fly alongside the half a
million other bats in the dark cave.
468
00:42:31,160 --> 00:42:35,640
Now it's about being manoeuvrable
and trying to avoid collision.
469
00:42:40,200 --> 00:42:43,840
Within a few seconds, the bats have
to perform a range of completely
470
00:42:43,840 --> 00:42:47,480
different flight techniques,
each of them highly specialised.
471
00:42:50,640 --> 00:42:55,000
This requires incredibly versatile
responsive wings.
472
00:42:57,360 --> 00:43:01,080
Bats do something unique
in the natural world.
473
00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:05,720
They fly not with their arms
but with their hands.
474
00:43:07,520 --> 00:43:10,680
A bat's wing is
a miracle of flight engineering,
475
00:43:10,680 --> 00:43:15,280
complete with thumb and four fingers
and self tensioning skin in-between.
476
00:43:16,640 --> 00:43:19,240
Its shape can shift
in all three dimensions
477
00:43:19,240 --> 00:43:22,480
and far more than any bird
or insect.
478
00:43:25,120 --> 00:43:27,840
No other wing gives
this level of control.
479
00:43:31,760 --> 00:43:35,360
Innovative wing design allows
the bats to cover huge distances
480
00:43:35,360 --> 00:43:37,040
to feed,
481
00:43:37,040 --> 00:43:39,800
fly fast to evade predators
482
00:43:39,800 --> 00:43:42,400
and manoeuvre tightly
in their crowded cave.
483
00:43:52,200 --> 00:43:56,200
This expert flying ability
allows the bats to use the caves
484
00:43:56,200 --> 00:43:58,480
as giant underground nurseries.
485
00:44:00,560 --> 00:44:04,520
Hundreds of thousands of baby bats
huddle together for warmth.
486
00:44:06,440 --> 00:44:11,640
In here, all bats are as safe
as they're ever going to be.
487
00:44:11,640 --> 00:44:15,240
But for the adults,
that's about to change.
488
00:44:20,760 --> 00:44:25,800
Outside, dusk is fast approaching,
so soon the adult bats
489
00:44:25,800 --> 00:44:28,120
must leave the cave again
to feed for the night.
490
00:44:30,200 --> 00:44:32,160
But the hawks are waiting.
491
00:44:33,920 --> 00:44:35,960
The hawks can't see in the dark,
492
00:44:35,960 --> 00:44:40,160
so every second the bats stay
underground gives them an advantage.
493
00:44:47,440 --> 00:44:50,440
But sooner or later,
each bat is going to have to
494
00:44:50,440 --> 00:44:53,440
push its flying skills
to the limit once more.
495
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:05,560
Their strategy is to emerge together
giving safety in numbers -
496
00:45:05,560 --> 00:45:08,680
an incredible feat
of synchronised flying.
497
00:45:09,800 --> 00:45:12,480
More bats swirl up
from deep underground
498
00:45:12,480 --> 00:45:15,360
until the cave entrance
is full to bursting point.
499
00:45:26,120 --> 00:45:29,640
With their wings now outstretched,
they can build up speed.
500
00:45:35,880 --> 00:45:38,400
Tens of thousands of bats,
501
00:45:38,400 --> 00:45:41,240
all waiting
until the last possible moment.
502
00:45:53,080 --> 00:45:55,280
With deep powerful wing beats,
503
00:45:55,280 --> 00:45:58,200
the bats can accelerate through
the danger zone.
504
00:46:03,560 --> 00:46:06,880
The hawks are overwhelmed
by their sheer numbers,
505
00:46:06,880 --> 00:46:09,800
their manoeuvrability
and their speed.
506
00:46:18,720 --> 00:46:20,880
Now safely away from the cave,
507
00:46:20,880 --> 00:46:23,960
they're free to fly
as far as they need
508
00:46:23,960 --> 00:46:26,080
to their night-time feeding grounds.
509
00:46:35,880 --> 00:46:38,840
A radical innovation in wing design,
510
00:46:38,840 --> 00:46:40,520
flying with their hands
511
00:46:40,520 --> 00:46:45,400
has made bats perhaps the most
versatile of all flying animals.
512
00:46:47,000 --> 00:46:51,880
They're the only mammal to have
truly mastered life in the air.
513
00:46:55,920 --> 00:46:59,880
For all flying creatures, staying
airborne is a constant challenge.
514
00:47:01,400 --> 00:47:05,360
A life in the air requires special
skills and remarkable techniques.
515
00:47:08,480 --> 00:47:10,560
But if you can survive up here,
516
00:47:10,560 --> 00:47:13,560
there are huge opportunities
to be had,
517
00:47:13,560 --> 00:47:18,080
so every animal has its own strategy
to give it an edge...
518
00:47:19,720 --> 00:47:22,120
..as it masters the sky.
519
00:47:39,200 --> 00:47:42,360
In Life In The Air, the team's
mission was to reveal the incredible
520
00:47:42,360 --> 00:47:46,240
abilities of airborne animals
in more detail than ever before.
521
00:47:47,880 --> 00:47:52,040
Weeks of patient filming allowed the
team to capture real-life events,
522
00:47:52,040 --> 00:47:55,520
like peregrine falcons
attacking their animal neighbours.
523
00:47:58,040 --> 00:48:01,640
But to reveal the science behind
how these animals master the skies
524
00:48:01,640 --> 00:48:03,720
required additional filming tricks
525
00:48:03,720 --> 00:48:07,480
and some incredible individuals
who would allow the team to capture
526
00:48:07,480 --> 00:48:08,920
their unique behaviour...
527
00:48:10,760 --> 00:48:13,680
..impossible to achieve
in any other way.
528
00:48:16,120 --> 00:48:18,880
To film the planet's
most accomplished flyers,
529
00:48:18,880 --> 00:48:20,920
the team needed to become part
of their flock.
530
00:48:22,000 --> 00:48:26,440
Key to their success was a unique
relationship between the animals
531
00:48:26,440 --> 00:48:28,440
and the people that work with them.
532
00:48:30,280 --> 00:48:32,360
The more ambitious the shoot,
533
00:48:32,360 --> 00:48:35,400
the more important
this relationship becomes,
534
00:48:35,400 --> 00:48:37,800
and none presented
a bigger filming challenge
535
00:48:37,800 --> 00:48:41,280
than keeping up with four tame
whooper swans in Scotland
536
00:48:41,280 --> 00:48:44,560
and flying alongside
a family of European cranes
537
00:48:44,560 --> 00:48:46,760
high above the French countryside.
538
00:48:50,320 --> 00:48:54,280
First meet Olive, Earther,
Yellow and White,
539
00:48:54,280 --> 00:48:56,800
and their human mum, Rose Buck.
540
00:48:56,800 --> 00:48:58,600
If their mum's here...
541
00:48:58,600 --> 00:49:02,400
When the swans first hatched
nine years ago, the first thing
542
00:49:02,400 --> 00:49:05,920
they saw was Rose, so to them,
she's the leader of the flock.
543
00:49:08,920 --> 00:49:11,680
Rose and her husband, Lloyd,
have a close bond
544
00:49:11,680 --> 00:49:14,280
with over 20 different
bird species...
545
00:49:14,280 --> 00:49:15,920
Oh, yes.
546
00:49:15,920 --> 00:49:18,000
..all film stars in their own right.
547
00:49:19,520 --> 00:49:22,360
And whilst the swans are
on centre stage this time,
548
00:49:22,360 --> 00:49:25,080
the whole family comes along
for the ride,
549
00:49:25,080 --> 00:49:27,720
including a golden eagle
called Tilly.
550
00:49:27,720 --> 00:49:30,720
Basically, when we go away,
they all have to go with us
551
00:49:30,720 --> 00:49:32,560
because they're like
our extended family,
552
00:49:32,560 --> 00:49:34,440
and that's when
they're at their happiest.
553
00:49:34,440 --> 00:49:36,920
You wouldn't leave your children
behind if you went away,
554
00:49:36,920 --> 00:49:39,320
so they expect to come with us.
555
00:49:39,320 --> 00:49:43,000
The Buck family are heading to
Loch Lomond in Scotland,
556
00:49:43,000 --> 00:49:46,920
where the plan is to film alongside
the swans in their natural habitat,
557
00:49:46,920 --> 00:49:49,320
capturing their flight
in minute detail.
558
00:49:53,200 --> 00:49:55,640
At the heart of this immense
technical challenge is
559
00:49:55,640 --> 00:49:58,160
a state-of-the-art
stabilising system,
560
00:49:58,160 --> 00:50:00,200
to smooth out any bumps
in the water...
561
00:50:01,680 --> 00:50:06,080
..and a high-speed powerboat
that can top 65 kilometres an hour.
562
00:50:11,320 --> 00:50:14,040
After some final words
of encouragement from Rose,
563
00:50:14,040 --> 00:50:16,160
it's time to put the plan
into action.
564
00:50:20,600 --> 00:50:21,880
Let's go, go, go!
565
00:50:27,360 --> 00:50:28,640
With Rose at the bow,
566
00:50:28,640 --> 00:50:31,920
the swans are totally unfazed
by the speeding boat,
567
00:50:31,920 --> 00:50:34,880
which is more than can be
said for the director.
568
00:50:34,880 --> 00:50:37,800
It's a really difficult thing
to do when
569
00:50:37,800 --> 00:50:39,200
something as amazing as this
570
00:50:39,200 --> 00:50:41,600
to be thinking about your job
and the shots,
571
00:50:41,600 --> 00:50:44,480
cos it's utterly awe-inspiring.
572
00:50:44,480 --> 00:50:47,640
Without an image stabiliser,
it's virtually impossible to get
573
00:50:47,640 --> 00:50:48,960
a steady shot at speed.
574
00:50:49,960 --> 00:50:53,560
Cameraman Rob Drewett has
the advantage of the stabiliser,
575
00:50:53,560 --> 00:50:56,600
but wind gusts are causing him
unexpected problems.
576
00:51:00,920 --> 00:51:02,920
Uh... It's gone. What's happened?
577
00:51:04,280 --> 00:51:06,840
As the boat hits
65 kilometres an hour,
578
00:51:06,840 --> 00:51:09,320
the stabiliser really starts
to struggle.
579
00:51:11,040 --> 00:51:13,880
As soon as I took it
away from my body,
580
00:51:13,880 --> 00:51:16,840
you...you felt the wind take it.
581
00:51:16,840 --> 00:51:19,080
The elements aren't
beating the stars,
582
00:51:19,080 --> 00:51:21,680
but they're causing big problems
for the technology.
583
00:51:21,680 --> 00:51:23,640
Ah, it just died.
584
00:51:23,640 --> 00:51:25,560
We've got a bit of a problem. Yeah.
585
00:51:30,360 --> 00:51:32,920
When you're pushing
the limits of filming technology,
586
00:51:32,920 --> 00:51:36,000
sometimes you really need
to think on your feet.
587
00:51:36,000 --> 00:51:40,000
We're now having to go
to new extremes to try and get
588
00:51:40,000 --> 00:51:42,160
our equipment working well,
589
00:51:42,160 --> 00:51:44,640
and we...we're going to use
a dustbin!
590
00:51:44,640 --> 00:51:48,120
With a rather unorthodox wind guard
taking shape,
591
00:51:48,120 --> 00:51:50,320
there's nothing
the Buck family can do,
592
00:51:50,320 --> 00:51:52,520
except indulge in some family time.
593
00:51:55,200 --> 00:51:57,400
You wouldn't want to be
skinny dipping!
594
00:51:57,400 --> 00:51:59,360
Gor, struth, you wouldn't.
595
00:52:02,040 --> 00:52:05,080
Meanwhile, the camera crew
work on into the night.
596
00:52:10,360 --> 00:52:13,360
It's the last day in Scotland,
and the crew have their hopes
597
00:52:13,360 --> 00:52:17,880
pinned on a £15 bin shielding
a £50,000 camera system.
598
00:52:19,160 --> 00:52:20,720
This is the 11th hour,
599
00:52:20,720 --> 00:52:26,080
it always seems to boil down to the
last day, but that's all we've got.
600
00:52:26,080 --> 00:52:30,720
Now everything needs to come
together in one perfect run.
601
00:52:43,880 --> 00:52:45,600
Lovely.
602
00:52:45,600 --> 00:52:48,760
So it looks like the shroud
is doing the job, which is
603
00:52:48,760 --> 00:52:52,080
brilliant cos it took us
two hours last night to turn
604
00:52:52,080 --> 00:52:55,160
a dustbin into something
that can make us film swans.
605
00:52:55,160 --> 00:52:57,640
Look at this! Oh, wow!
606
00:53:01,520 --> 00:53:05,480
Filming flying animals at speed has
proved difficult enough on water...
607
00:53:07,280 --> 00:53:10,360
..but it's that much harder
when you take to the air
608
00:53:10,360 --> 00:53:14,960
with a flock of European cranes
half a mile above the Earth.
609
00:53:19,480 --> 00:53:23,440
To get a true bird's-eye view,
you need a microlight,
610
00:53:23,440 --> 00:53:26,200
a pilot with a family
of friendly cranes
611
00:53:26,200 --> 00:53:28,480
and a cameraman
with a head for heights.
612
00:53:30,720 --> 00:53:32,920
Like Rose is mother to her swans,
613
00:53:32,920 --> 00:53:36,680
Frenchman Christian Moullec
knows each of his family by name.
614
00:53:36,680 --> 00:53:40,160
Is this Dennis?
No, no, no. Dennis, no.
615
00:53:40,160 --> 00:53:41,840
THEY LAUGH
616
00:53:41,840 --> 00:53:44,600
Christian has been working
with these particular birds
617
00:53:44,600 --> 00:53:47,680
for two years, so when
the microlight engine roars...
618
00:53:49,120 --> 00:53:50,760
..they know it's time to fly.
619
00:53:59,560 --> 00:54:02,160
The cranes follow
the microlight in formation,
620
00:54:02,160 --> 00:54:04,840
using the updraft from its wing
to save energy.
621
00:54:08,240 --> 00:54:10,560
They're performing perfectly,
622
00:54:10,560 --> 00:54:15,000
just in completely the wrong place
for cameraman Richard Cook.
623
00:54:15,000 --> 00:54:18,640
Getting them away from the wing
and into the right spot requires
624
00:54:18,640 --> 00:54:22,440
precision teamwork,
and this is extremely difficult.
625
00:54:34,120 --> 00:54:36,720
The birds move around so much,
so quickly,
626
00:54:36,720 --> 00:54:39,280
and then just trying to guess
where they're going to be.
627
00:54:39,280 --> 00:54:41,280
So they drop off the wing here
and they come down
628
00:54:41,280 --> 00:54:43,520
and then underneath the aircraft,
up the other side.
629
00:54:43,520 --> 00:54:46,960
It's very frustrating,
but we will get there.
630
00:54:49,680 --> 00:54:52,720
Christian. Yes?
Your birds are terrible!
631
00:54:52,720 --> 00:54:54,560
No, you are a terrible cameraman.
632
00:54:54,560 --> 00:54:56,600
RICHARD LAUGHS
633
00:54:56,600 --> 00:55:00,720
With something this complicated,
there's no substitute for practise.
634
00:55:02,880 --> 00:55:04,440
But the longer you're in the air,
635
00:55:04,440 --> 00:55:07,520
the more chance something
very serious will go wrong.
636
00:55:11,880 --> 00:55:14,680
The engine has cut out,
and with no power,
637
00:55:14,680 --> 00:55:17,960
Christian and Richard have to make
an emergency landing.
638
00:55:24,800 --> 00:55:27,840
It's at times like this
that 25 years of experience comes
639
00:55:27,840 --> 00:55:29,120
sharply into play.
640
00:55:34,560 --> 00:55:37,360
On the final approach,
they are fully committed.
641
00:55:44,760 --> 00:55:46,960
Thankfully,
it's a perfect touchdown.
642
00:55:50,440 --> 00:55:53,960
And the cranes don't seem to know
what all the fuss is about.
643
00:55:53,960 --> 00:55:57,080
We landed safely, just glided in,
but there's not a lot we can do.
644
00:55:57,080 --> 00:55:59,280
As you can see, this is
absolutely jammed solid.
645
00:55:59,280 --> 00:56:02,000
So we're going to take the engine
apart this afternoon
646
00:56:02,000 --> 00:56:03,480
and see what's broken.
647
00:56:03,480 --> 00:56:06,440
In the middle of the French
countryside, any rescue,
648
00:56:06,440 --> 00:56:09,200
however unusual,
is extremely welcome.
649
00:56:16,640 --> 00:56:18,680
Just looking at the top,
the piston crown,
650
00:56:18,680 --> 00:56:22,080
the bit at the top,
is all hammered and dented.
651
00:56:22,080 --> 00:56:24,360
Anyway, it's given up.
652
00:56:24,360 --> 00:56:26,280
The engine isn't repairable,
653
00:56:26,280 --> 00:56:29,120
so the team resort
to the backup microlight.
654
00:56:31,160 --> 00:56:33,160
And with it
comes a new dose of luck.
655
00:56:39,560 --> 00:56:42,200
With some perfect turns
from Christian,
656
00:56:42,200 --> 00:56:45,720
Richard finally gets eye-to-eye
with a flying flock of cranes.
657
00:56:48,880 --> 00:56:52,640
And after all they've been through,
the team are truly delighted.
658
00:56:55,600 --> 00:56:57,600
But even with the latest technology
659
00:56:57,600 --> 00:57:01,400
and some resourceful individuals,
we only get the briefest window
660
00:57:01,400 --> 00:57:04,000
into the world of these amazing
creatures.
661
00:57:06,080 --> 00:57:09,440
And this only highlights
just what an achievement it is
662
00:57:09,440 --> 00:57:11,960
to spend your life in the skies.
663
00:57:16,800 --> 00:57:21,000
Next time, we'll discover
that the skies are crowded
664
00:57:21,000 --> 00:57:23,680
full of creatures
in a battle for survival.
665
00:57:26,640 --> 00:57:29,440
There's competition for mates,
666
00:57:29,440 --> 00:57:31,760
for food...
667
00:57:33,880 --> 00:57:36,120
..and even for life itself.
668
00:57:38,400 --> 00:57:40,800
Only the best flyers need apply.
56453
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