Lessons from a flight flock

Wildebeest herd. Humans smartphone.

Birds of a feather flock together. Even Plato knew that. But why?

Flamingos just like hanging out with other flamingos. I've never seen a flamingo gazing at a smartphone.

These pink beauties are pretty social. A colony can number 50 or a million. And yet there's a more practical reason for them to gather.

The collective is protective. Flock or get clocked. Safety in numbers. Isn't that what your mama always told you?

The group is also beneficial for warmth. Lots of pack animals curl up together on a cold winter night.

And the chances of finding food rise exponentially when everyone in the group is looking for it. Of course, the food also disappears quickly with more mouths feeding. And that's why the wildebeest travel up to 1000 a year on their migratory feeding route.

But while herd behavior works out great in theory, the reality is that some animals just don't fit in or can't keep up. Wildeeest get lost or injured. Some end up on a lion's dinner table.

The 'beest with a smartphone would be the first to go. She'd be lagging behind, trying to take a selfie.

I'd rather be hanging out with flamingos. They live in a more collaborative society. They're noisy, flamboyant creatures. But they tune in to each other, living in unison. They basically cycle together. But there's one thing they don't do.

Synchronized flying.

Flight flocks mesmerize me. How do they do it? The Audubon Society wonders the same thing: "Each animal needs to avoid colliding with its immediate neighbors, to be generally attracted to others of its kind, and to move in the same direction as the rest of the group."

Researchers believe it's math, physics, a little magic, and one big thing that every human I know needs to do:

To avoid conflicts and collisions, birds in flight flocks actually pay close attention to their neighbors.

So put your smartphone down and interact with your family. Your friends. Your neighbors. Pay close attention. The result can be mesmerizing.