6 – Albatross Birds Do Run Awkwardly To Gain Momentum Before They Fly Because They Are So Big, Like Orville In ’The Rescuers’

Both The Rescuers (1977) and The Rescuers Down Under (1990) feature albatrosses, brothers Orville and Wilbur, who fly Bernard and Bianca to their destinations. In both movies, the birds need a long running start before they can take off. What in fact can be funny, turns out to be accurate in real life. Albatrosses are sea birds with wingspans that can reach up to 12 feet long. Their wings allow them to glide over long distances above the water without flapping, which conserves energy. But taking off requires a strong wind, so sometimes albatrosses do have to run into the wind to generate the lift that gets them off the ground.

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