Wildlife
Gliding is where after an initial leap, animals rely on gravity to get them where they are going. Gliding animals can steer, but they can't ascend on their flight path and don't propel themselves through the air under power. Animals as diverse as fish, squid, marsupials and snakes have all learned to glide, and may have evolved features to help to keep them airborne for longer, such as skin flaps on limbs. Flying snakes glide through muscular contraction. Some plants have winged seeds which are designed to glide as a means of dispersal.
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Aero-engineering
Classic evolution as one feature is progressively improved to perfection.
Classic evolution as one feature is progressively improved to perfection.
Seed aviation
Some plants produce seeds that can fly, and come in all different shapes.
Some plants produce seeds that can fly, and come in all different shapes.
Flaps for flight
Frogs, lizards, geckos and squirrels have evolved to glide between trees.
Frogs, lizards, geckos and squirrels have evolved to glide between trees.
Fish on the wing
The extraordinary flying fish uses its fins and tail to glide up to 100 metres.
The extraordinary flying fish uses its fins and tail to glide up to 100 metres.
Night flight
Thermal cameras reveal flying squirrels in Bhutan's night-time forests.
Thermal cameras reveal flying squirrels in Bhutan's night-time forests.
Gliding flight is heavier-than-air flight without the use of thrust. It is employed by gliding animals and by aircraft such as gliders. The most common human application of gliding flight is in sport and recreation using aircraft designed for this purpose. However almost all powered aircraft are capable of gliding without engine power.
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Other Locomotion behaviours
Take a trip through the natural world with our themed collections of video clips from the natural history archive.
This is Planet Earth
With Planet Earth Live hitting our screens, what better way to marvel at the wonders of nature than watching a fantastic collection of video highlights from the original Planet Earth series.
George's marvellous minibeasts
A video collection featuring bugs and insects in amazing close up selected by insect expert and TV presenter George McGavin, with Goliath spiders, killer centipedes, ants and moths.
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Malayan colugo
Yellow-bellied glider
Archaeopteryx
Kagu
Hen harrier
Great grey owl
Shearwaters
Microraptor
Hatzegopteryx
Pterosaurs
Flying fish
Money spiders