wing flapping
Bird's flight motion
Wing flapping is the repeated up-and-down motion birds and other flying creatures make with their wings to generate lift and propulsion.
The term describes both the physical action and the sound it produces.
Figuratively, it can dismiss ineffective activity that creates commotion without accomplishing anything: All that wing flapping at the meeting produced no actual decisions.
- flutterRapid light movement
- soarAscend to heights
- taking flightBeginning to fly
- feathersBird's lightweight covering
- flight feathersBird's main wing plumes
bird · feathered friend · beating · flight · swooping · aerial · thrust · lift · air current · airborne · hummingbird · migration · takeoff · downy · plumage · whoosh · breeze · graceful
- animal signalsbody language, bird songs, tail wagging, mating calls, whale song
- bird behaviorsflying, soaring, perching, nesting, migrating
- insect behaviorsforaging, mating, flight, flying, crawling
- parrot behaviorstalking, mimicry, squawking, screaming, preening
- matingmating, breeding, courtship display, mating display, mating dance