The flight patterns of birds is a fascinating thing to study, but a hard one to visualize, as their soaring and swooping doesn’t leave a trail, the way a jet does. However, Barcelona-based photographer Xavi Bou has come up with a way to picture a bird’s flight, and the resulting images are quite astounding. Using frame-by-frame layered video stills, Bou’s images showcase flight patterns that range from jagged stripes to complex, chaotic swirls. Indeed, though he didn’t know quite what the resulting images would look like, he was stunned by the way the flights came to life. National Geographic has a great article on the subject, and an entire issue dedicated to birds.
Bird flights become like zippers across the sky.
Some of the paths look like sea serpents.
Others, like this huge group of starlings, appear like mythical swarms.
He has named his series ‘Ornitografías’, and they showcase the beauty and complexity of flight.
Flocks of seagulls create complex patterns off of the ocean surface.
An arctic tern creates an unusual shape as it takes flight.
A group of corn buntings seem to erupt out of the ground.
A beautifully ornate pattern made up of a flock of Northern lapwings.
Yellow-legged gulls and white storks in flight.
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5 Comments
Thanks for the enlightening comment!
It is time that we human being be a little more humble and admit to ourselves that our knowledge of the universe is close to zero. This is really awesome. Imagine sky is full of patterns that we don’t see and not able to see in our naked eye. There is illuminating thank you.
Amazing, thanks for posting.
Absolutely fascinating!! We have migrating geese spending the winter in North Norfolk and sometimes 5000 come to roost in our reserve in Cley. Pure magic to watch and listen to them.
So cool! Love your blog!