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Masters of the Sky

Episode 2 of 3

Exploring how animals effortlessly beat gravity. Why peregrine falcons can top 200 miles an hour and how heavyweight beetles break the rules to find love.

With the help of some surprising creatures from around the world, this series sets out to discover how animals take to the air, defying the force all airborne animals must conquer, gravity.

This episode looks at powered flight, revealing why peregrine falcons can top 200 miles an hour, how a hummingbird is a slave to its own rather manic lifestyle and that the albatross's secret to flying for free is its nose.

Heavyweight beetles break the rules to find love, a devious sparrow-hawk uses agility to execute a lightning-fast raid on his prey, and half a million mother bats dominate the sky above, and below, the ground with a dazzling display of aerial prowess.

58 minutes

Last on

Sat 18 Mar 2023 10:15

Credits

Role Contributor
Narrator Suranne Jones
Series Producer James Brickell
Producer Giles Badger

Broadcasts

  • Sun 10 Apr 2016 17:00
  • Wed 22 Jun 2016 03:05
  • Tue 25 Sep 2018 15:45
  • Sat 21 Sep 2019 20:00
  • Wed 26 Aug 2020 15:15
  • Wed 26 Aug 2020 16:00
  • Sat 17 Jul 2021 11:00
  • Sat 18 Mar 2023 10:15

How the sequences in Life in the Air have been created

How the sequences in Life in the Air have been created

Get a unique perspective on a sparrowhawk hunt.

Gallery