Quote:
Originally posted by Anton
Good point!! It must be some kinda instinctive thing with them always strictly staying in line. Like they way the always fly in a V-shape because, as you mentioned, their eyes are on the side.
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Geese fly in a V shape because it conserves energy. The lead goose breaks the wind, allowing the other geese to glide more often. They switch positions periodically as the lead goose tires.
It also does give them an unobstructed field of view, but that has nothing to do with their eye placement. Geese have no trouble seeing straight ahead, in fact they see best straight ahead, like most birds and mammals. They have about a 20% overlap in their forward field of vision, which is where they get the best depth perception. The side placement of their eyes simply gives them a much wider field of vision overall.
Oh and ducks/geese don't stay strictly in a line, in fact they rarely line up, mostly staying in small clusters. The ducks in the picture aren't even in a line.