Flight is one of the most visible and varied adaptations in birds. While all birds share the ability to move through the air, how they fly, how often they fly, and why they fly differ greatly between species. In open savanna landscapes such as the Tsavo Conservation Area, these differences are especially clear. From soaring scavengers and hovering hunters to ground-dwelling birds that fly only when necessary, flight strategies reflect energy use, body size, habitat, and feeding behaviour.
Flight as an energy trade-off
Flying is energetically expensive. Birds must balance the cost of flight against the benefits it provides, such as finding food, avoiding danger, or moving efficiently through large landscapes. Wing shape, body mass, muscle power, and behaviour all influence whether a bird relies on soaring, flapping, hovering, or walking.
In Tsavo, where distances are large and resources can be patchy, many species have evolved flight styles that minimise energy use while maximising access to food.
Soaring on thermals: Vultures and energy efficiency
Vultures are among the most energy-efficient flyers in the savanna. Rather than flapping continuously, they rely on thermals, columns of warm air that rise from the heated ground. By circling within these thermals, vultures gain altitude with minimal effort and then glide long distances while scanning the landscape below.
Some vultures reach extraordinary heights. The record for the highest-flying bird belongs to the Rüppell’s griffon vulture, which has been confirmed at altitudes of around 11,300 metres (approximately 37,000 feet), similar to the cruising height of commercial aircraft. From such heights, vultures dramatically expand their field of view, allowing them to detect carcasses or observe the behaviour of other scavengers over vast areas.
Because vultures are large, heavy birds, flapping flight is costly. After feeding, when their body weight increases significantly, taking off becomes particularly difficult. It is common to see vultures resting in trees or on high points after feeding, allowing time for digestion before they can re-enter rising air currents.
Perch-and-swoop hunting: African fish eagles
The African fish eagle uses a very different flight strategy. Rather than soaring continuously, fish eagles spend much of their time perched in tall trees along rivers and lakes.
From these vantage points, they watch the water below. When a fish approaches the surface, the eagle launches into a controlled swoop, extending long, curved talons to snatch prey from the water. Rough pads on the feet help grip slippery fish, while powerful wingbeats allow the bird to lift prey clear of the surface.
This strategy reduces unnecessary flight and focuses energy on short, high-success hunting attempts.
Power and scale: Martial eagles
The Martial eagle is one of Africa’s largest birds of prey and uses a combination of soaring and powerful flapping flight. With broad wings and strong muscles, martial eagles can cover large areas while searching for prey.
Their size allows them to take a wide range of animals, including mammals, birds, and reptiles, some of which are relatively large compared to the eagle itself. Martial eagles often hunt from the air, descending in fast, forceful strikes. Their flight strategy reflects a balance between energy-efficient soaring and the power needed to subdue substantial prey.
Hovering flight: Precision at a cost
Hovering is one of the most energy-demanding forms of flight. Birds that hover must beat their wings rapidly to remain stationary in the air, and as a result, hovering is usually brief and highly targeted.
The Black-shouldered kite is a classic example. These kites hover facing into the wind, holding position while scanning the ground for small mammals. Once prey is detected, they drop quickly and accurately, minimising time spent hovering.
Kingfishers use a similar approach over water. By hovering above rivers or pools, they can assess prey position and compensate for the distortion caused by light refraction at the water’s surface before diving. Although energy-intensive, hovering greatly improves hunting accuracy.
Speed and coordination: starlings
Smaller birds face different challenges. Starlings rely on fast, agile flight rather than efficiency or strength. Their rapid wingbeats and high manoeuvrability allow them to evade predators and exploit fleeting food sources.
Murmurations: Collective Flight in Red-Billed Quelea
In Tsavo, large-scale murmurations are most commonly formed by the Red-billed quelea, one of Africa’s most abundant bird species. These dense, shifting flocks move as a coordinated unit, forming rapidly changing shapes in the sky. Murmurations occur because each bird synchronises its flight with approximately seven of its closest neighbours, rather than following a leader or responding to the flock as a whole.
This local interaction creates complex, cascading movements that pass through the flock in fractions of a second. The result is the appearance of thousands of birds moving as one. This behaviour makes it difficult for predators to isolate a single individual, a phenomenon known as predator confusion, while also allowing the flock to respond rapidly to sudden threats. Although murmurations appear chaotic, they are highly ordered systems driven by visual awareness, reaction speed, and tight spacing between individuals.
Flying less: Ground Hornbills
Not all birds rely heavily on flight. The Southern ground hornbill spends most of its time walking across the savanna while foraging. Large and heavy-bodied, ground hornbills fly mainly to reach roosting or nesting sites.
Their limited use of flight reflects a different ecological strategy, where walking is more efficient for hunting insects, small vertebrates, and other ground-based prey.
Why flight strategies matter
Each flight style seen in the savanna represents a solution to the same problem: how to move efficiently while finding food and avoiding danger. Soaring conserves energy over long distances, hovering provides precision, flapping enables power and speed, and walking reduces energy costs altogether.
Understanding these strategies helps explain why different bird species occupy particular habitats and behave as they do.
From vultures riding thermals at extreme altitudes to kites hovering with precision and hornbills walking across open ground, bird flight in the African savanna is remarkably diverse. These strategies reflect long-term adaptation to body size, food availability, and landscape structure.