Albatross forage with fractal-like flight

New data support mathematical pattern in birds’ hunting behavior

Flight plans reminiscent of fractals could help hungry birds find food. Albatross sometimes hunt by following a mathematical pattern that repeats itself at smaller and smaller scales, researchers report online April 23 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

When food is scarce, the wandering albatross’s movements match a mathematical pattern called Lévy flight that has fractal qualities.