The ever-adventurous investigator Tom Scott went to southern France to fly amongst the birds on a microlight aircraft with Christian Moullec of the aptly named organization Voler Avec Les Oiseaux (Fly With Birds).
In southern France, there’s a man called Christian who flies a microlight aircraft, alongside flocks of birds. And he takes passengers.
Moullec was inspired to fly with birds to protect the migratory pattern of wild birds and reintroduce Lesser White-fronted Geese back into Sweden.
The initial objective was to raise awareness about the protection of migratory birds and to reintroduce Lesser White-Fronted geese in Sweden. He transformed himself into a bird to accompany protected species on their migratory routes.
Moullec explained that he imprints with the geese shortly after birth and guides them to fly with, behind, and alongside his aircraft.
So how are we able to fly with birds with a microlight? You have to be able to raise young birds. This is the phenomenon of imprinting. To imprint. From that moment on, they consider us as their parents. …I fly almost every day with the birds. …I would say to simplify things, that I’m not the one who teaches them to fly with me…I’ve been flying with birds for 27 years and they taught me how to fly with them.
