Rising Tide Images
Aloft
Gliding effortlessly into the wind, a mōlī makes a low pass over a beach on the north shore of Oahu. It will turn out to sea and wander for thousands of miles over the Pacific using its remarkable olfactory acuity to locate surface forage at upwelling sites. Expending very little energy on flight, this mōlī, or Laysan albatross, efficiently uses dynamic soaring to skim the water, rising on the wind and descending forward by gravity acceleration. Bones lock into position requiring no muscle to keep the six foot wing span extended.
Aloft
Gliding effortlessly into the wind, a mōlī makes a low pass over a beach on the north shore of Oahu. It will turn out to sea and wander for thousands of miles over the Pacific using its remarkable olfactory acuity to locate surface forage at upwelling sites. Expending very little energy on flight, this mōlī, or Laysan albatross, efficiently uses dynamic soaring to skim the water, rising on the wind and descending forward by gravity acceleration. Bones lock into position requiring no muscle to keep the six foot wing span extended.