Which aerodynamic mechanism allows soaring birds to maintain altitude in stable conditions without flapping?

💡 Explanation

When a soaring bird encounters differing horizontal wind speeds at varying altitudes, dynamic soaring allows it to gain energy because the bird repeatedly crosses the boundary between these wind layers extracting momentum. Therefore, dynamic soaring yields sustained altitude, rather than streamlining, principle, or alula which are factors but not the primary mechanism in stable atmospheric conditions.

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