TheGooseStory

byDr.HarryClarkeNoyes ARCSNEWS,Vol.7,No.1,January1992 Next fall,when youseeGeese headingSouthfor theWinter,flyingalong inVformation,youmight considerwhatsciencehasdis coveredastowhytheyflythatway: aseachbirdflapsitswings,itcreatesan upliftforthebirdimmediatelyfollowing.By flyinginVformationthewholeflockaddsatleast 71%greaterflyingrangethanifeachbirdflewonitsown. Peoplewhoshareacommondirectionandsenseofcommunity cangetwheretheyaregoingmorequicklyandeasily becausetheyaretravelingonthethrustofoneanother. When agoosefalls outofformation, itsuddenlyfeelsthedrag andresistanceoftryingtogoitalone andquicklygetsbackintoformationtotake advantageoftheliftingpowerofthebirdinfront. Ifwehaveasmuchsenseasagoose, wewillstayinformation withthosewhoareheadedthesamewayweare. When theHeadGoose getstired,itrotatesback inthewingandanothergoosefliespoint. Itissensibletotaketurnsdoingdemandingjobs withpeopleorwithgeeseflyingSouth.

Geese honkfrombehindto encouragethoseupfronttokeepuptheirspeed. Whatdowesaywhenwehonkfrombehind? Finally, andthisisimportant, whenagoosegetssick,oris woundedbygunshotsandfallsout offormation,twoothergeesefalloutwiththat gooseandfollowitdowntolendhelpandprotection. Theystaywiththefallengooseuntilitisabletofly,oruntil itdies.Onlythendotheylaunchoutontheirown,orwithanotherformation tocatchupwiththeirgroup. IFWEHAVETHESENSEOFAGOOSE, WEWILLSTANDBYEACHOTHER LIKETHAT.

(ReprintedfrommaterialsprovidedbyBonnieJ.Collins,EdM,LCSWR)