Which aerodynamic effect primarily enables soaring birds to maintain sustained soaring flight with minimal energy expenditure?

💡 Explanation

When soaring birds encounter thermal updrafts, buoyancy forces overcome gravity, enabling them to rise or maintain altitude without continuous flapping because rising air provides lift. Therefore thermal updraft exploitation results in sustained soaring, rather than boundary layer control, vortex control, or winglet-induced drag reduction alone, each requiring distinct air flow mechanisms.

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