ELI5 - How does an Eagle Fly?

An eagle flies by using air like an invisible ladder. The eagle does not flap its wings all the time. It uses smart wing shapes and moving air to stay up high with very little effort.

First, look at the eagle’s wings. They are very wide and very long. When the eagle spreads them out, they catch a lot of air. The top of the wing is curved, and the bottom is flatter. When air moves over the wing, it goes faster on top and slower underneath. This makes lower pressure on top and higher pressure below. That pressure difference gently pushes the eagle upward. This upward push is called lift, but you can think of it like the air helping hold the eagle up.

When an eagle takes off, it does flap its wings. It flaps hard to get enough speed and height. Once it is high enough, it stops flapping so much. Flapping takes a lot of energy, and eagles like to save energy. Instead of working harder, they work smarter. Eagles are experts at finding rising air. Warm air rises from the ground when the sun heats it. This rising air is like an invisible elevator. When an eagle finds it, the eagle circles inside it. As the air goes up, the eagle goes up too. This is called soaring. The eagle can gain a lot of height without flapping at all.

Eagles also use wind that hits hills, cliffs, or mountains. When wind hits something tall, it is pushed upward. The eagle rides this upward-moving air the same way a surfer rides a wave. This lets the eagle glide for a long time while barely moving its wings. The feathers at the tips of an eagle’s wings look like fingers. These help control the air and reduce drag. Drag is air trying to slow the eagle down. With less drag, the eagle can glide longer and smoother. The tail also helps. The eagle uses its tail like a steering wheel. It helps the eagle turn, slow down, or land gently. By adjusting its wings and tail, the eagle can fly very precisely.

So an eagle flies by shaping the air, riding rising wind, and gliding instead of flapping. The air does much of the work. The eagle just knows how to use it.