Start Back Next Photo Marianne Wellington, WCEP One crane chases away another. Bullies in the Bunch Each bird has its own place within the flock. Bullies appear every year. Some birds just don’t like other ones. Older cranes often act aggressive toward younger ones. Crane #810 was so mean that he was expelled from the Class of 2008. What did he do? Cranes work out their social order on the ground AND in the air. The pilots pay attention to that pecking order. When a large group of cranes flies in formation behind a trike, two squabbling birds could upset the entire flight formation. When they all stay in their order, each gets help from the air rolling off the wings ahead of them.