Eli5.. How can an eagle fly for such long time without flapping it’s wings?

Question

Eli5.. How can an eagle fly for such long time without flapping it’s wings?

In: Physics

Answer 1

Soaring.

Just like a glider or sailplane the eagle and many other birds can ride rising currents of air and then glide to another current. The Wandering Albatross can exploit this to such great effect that they can fly 10,000 miles (or roughly halfway around the world) without flapping their wings.