Birds on the Run

Humans typically run using a method called aerial running, in which we spend more time airborne between strides. But when birds need to pick up the pace, many of them use a strategy called grounded running—keeping one foot on the ground for as long as possible. It looks funny, but scientists recently discovered that, for the birds, this silly strategy is more energy efficient.

If you ever watch a bird on the run, its goofy gait might make you giggle. But when God created birds on day five of creation week, he thought of everything they would need to survive and thrive in a post-fall world—including a creative way to sprint to safety when they can’t take to the sky.

This article is from Answers magazine, April–June, 2025, p. 16.