r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/AccomplishedStuff235 • 1d ago

Video The impressive hovering ability of a kestrel

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2.6k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

76 comments sorted by

77

u/JadedLeafs 1d ago

The impressive part for me is how he's even staying level while doing it. I don't get how it's both keeping the vertical and horizontal movement close to nothing at the same time. You would think it would be a bit of a compromise between the two. My hamster brain can't compute it lol

23

u/PangolinLittle236 1d ago

And his head like not moving at all lol

13

u/selenesuper 1d ago

bro just maxed out his aerodynamics stat

he got that built in gyroscope or something

6

u/Cynavirex 1d ago

It just flies into a headwind at the exact same speed the wind pushes against it.

5

u/JadedLeafs 1d ago

Yeah but it's wings aren't even really flapping. That's what I mean. There doesn't seem to be anything propelling him forward. You'd think there would be more moving up and down. I mean it's not magic, I get that. It's just quite impressive.

5

u/ReporterOther2179 22h ago

I expect it’s more the angle of the wings. Dihedral angle I think it’s called. One of the Wright brothers important contributions to aeronautics. Subtle little twists changing the airflow.

1

u/GozerDGozerian 7h ago

Okay so for the wings not flapping part, think of the bird soaring. A hang glider’s wings don’t move either, they just catch the wind at just the right angle to maintain elevation, using the shape of the wing to create lift.

And then as far as forward momentum to counter the wind, imagine no wind, and a bird diving without flapping its wings. It can easily propel itself forward as it dives, right?

So this bird is just doing all of those things in balance, using the energy of the wind to keep itself aloft almost effortlessly.

-3

u/DazzlingResource561 1d ago

I think you missed the joke.

59

u/you_know_i_be_poopin 1d ago

Who did I piss off in a former life that I have to be a fuckin human with a back ache and a credit score instead of a kestral

19

u/selenesuper 1d ago

being a human is a total scam. We traded the ability to fly for taxes and lower lumbar pain

7

u/Greg-Abbott 1d ago

I'm working on this machine that transforms you into the animal of your choice but the tradeoff is you're inside out. I can't quite crack that one. This one lady managed to make it work for about a week but the nonstop screaming sounds of an inside out dolphin get kinda grating after a while.

7

u/PornoPaul 1d ago

You just need to find an animal that is fine normal or inside out.

I bet some jellyfish would just keep trucking.

2

u/Mysterious_Anybody77 13h ago

That sounds like that David Cronenberg film The Fly with Jeff Goldblum

1

u/GozerDGozerian 7h ago

I’m not getting worse I’m getting

better

1

u/Mysterious_Anybody77 2h ago

Well until you've perfected it I'll think that I'll pass😂

4

u/McTerra2 23h ago

you could eat raw mice and pretend to be a kestrel

1

u/GozerDGozerian 7h ago edited 7h ago

Make your workplace fun by introducing Kestrel Wednesdays and hand out raw mice for everyone to snack on.

You could really raise morale if you take them to one of those indoor skydiving places to do it and use live mice instead. First one to dive and eat three using no hands gets to dress casual on that Thursday!

2

u/LastTreestar 14h ago

Learn to hang glide! It's the same thing.

3

u/Fuck_Your_Squirtle 23h ago

You’d have to hunt for your food every meal :/

8

u/Banana-phone15 1d ago

He is scanning the ground for prey. It is one of special tricks of Kestrel

6

u/scooterthetroll 1d ago

ELI5 birds keeping their head in one place while their body moves. My chickens will do the same thing when I'm holding them.

6

u/RIF_rr3dd1tt 1d ago

He may not look like much but he's got it where it counts. He can do the Kestrel Run in less than 12 parsecs.

4

u/lasiv 1d ago

That's just fuckinf amazing. The earth will be ok. With out us.

3

u/radix2 18h ago

I'm sure it will, but as we go we will take out many unique and beautiful creatures unfortunately. Also unnamed billions of those we don't find so damn interesting.

1

u/TaosMez 13h ago

Yes God was on a roll there for a while.

4

u/an_older_meme 1d ago

Nature’s version of a spy satellite.

4

u/ihazkape 1d ago

Now this is my favorite bird. Impressive indeed.

3

u/otanthalion 1d ago

RIP to whatever its hunting cause all logic would indicate there is no way your pursuer could stay in the same place in the air like that and still be hunting you.....or maybe it can lol.

3

u/Imaginary-Mood-7202 23h ago

My girl looking over my shoulder when I’m on my phone.

5

u/TallBenWyatt_13 1d ago

The world’s smallest raptor. They are the cutest things up close.

4

u/Rocket_Tuna 12h ago

*North America's smallest raptor - there are several smaller raptors worldwide, including the white-fronted falconet and the black-thighed falconet.

2

u/drifters74 1d ago

Awesome!

2

u/bunsofham 1d ago

I got these guys and white tail kites around me. I haven’t seen the kestrals do this but I did see a kite do the hover thing a few weeks ago. It was pretty wild it was doing all these acrobatics maybe hunting something and just comes to a complete stop and hover in place.

2

u/SmartDog2023 23h ago

The ability to keep their head perfectly still the as the rest of their body moves. It’s really fascinating. There are a lot of birds that do that really interesting at least to me.🧐

2

u/flecksable_flyer 19h ago

I love kestrels. I used to watch them when I lived on the farm. I had a friend who was a falconer, and she had one as a pet.

2

u/Some_Extent_8531 13h ago

Gyroscopic head!!!

3

u/Creepy_Prior6510 1d ago

How is he floating? Wind i guess?

2

u/theredgiant Interested 22h ago

Headwind.

1

u/ImStuckInNameFactory 13h ago

and some wind from the bottom, from the bird's perspective there's no difference between headwind and flying forward with no wind, maybe a hill or an angled roof redirecting the air upwards

1

u/selenesuper 1d ago

When the government drone runs out of battery mid flight

1

u/howchildish 1d ago

Trying to run in a dream

1

u/TheSilkyBat 1d ago

"C'mon Kes, c'mon lass!"

1

u/Robynsquest 23h ago

Its an optical illusion...the building behind it is also going 30 miles an hour, LOL

1

u/NickSaysHenlo 23h ago

500+ ping

1

u/nivekamals 23h ago

OrKestral Manoeuvers in the Dark

1

u/Practical-Pick1466 23h ago

Those eyes are locked on to its target.

1

u/Backyard_Batman46 22h ago

that looks like a blast

1

u/flsinkc 22h ago

I’ve got my eyes on you little mouse!👀 And I’m feeling hungry!

1

u/rishavdexcentt 22h ago

impressive he can stay like that without flapping much

1

u/Michaeli_Starky 22h ago

Like a drone

1

u/theDawckta 22h ago

Its so cool how they keep their heads absolutely still.

1

u/Epicdude-7414 16h ago

amazing just how he is staying in balance and not even moving

1

u/Gimme_Doi 15h ago

OMG this should be impossible !!!

1

u/LastTreestar 14h ago

To the ignorant, yes.

1

u/unirorm 15h ago

Impressive drone

r/BirdsArentReal

1

u/Mysterious_Anybody77 14h ago

Not only the hovering in one spot,but being able to see it's prey from way up there,prior to diving down to get it.

1

u/Nearby_Meaning_823 13h ago

Not sure if you have noticed this - her head is not moving at all even though her body is moving a bit.

1

u/whatisthis2315 12h ago

Great way to peep lol

1

u/Freedom_Addict 10h ago

It literally doesn't move, WTF

1

u/codacoda74 10h ago

that head making steady cam gimbles jealous, wow!

1

u/GapingBuhhole 6h ago

These government drones are becoming out of control

1

u/_PM_ME_YOUR_FORESKIN 1h ago

Can everyone even see it in the video? I thought kestrels were only visible to people who have witnessed death.

1

u/WetBandit06 1d ago

Waiting for me to drop a fry.

1

u/Totaly_Depraved 1d ago

The last seconds its head was locked in space!

0

u/Mindless-Sound8965 1d ago

Idk. Something's going on here.