Life in the Air
TV Show · Documentary · Special Interest

An astonishing number of animals have mastered the skies. From squirrels to spiders, frogs to fish, and birds to bats, these animals hunt, travel, sleep, live and die in the air. This world has always been a mystery, a place that humans could not enter or understand. But now, cutting-edge filming technology allows us to 'fly' alongside these animals and witness their extraordinary hidden world.

2000 · 48m
Starring Suranne Jones

Season 1

  • EPISODE 1
    Defying Gravity
    With the help of some surprising creatures, discover how flying animals defy the force they all must conquer: gravity. In Africa, a caracal's 'rocket-propelled' launch enables it to catch birds in flight. An insect's ultimate ejector seat helps it to accelerate up to 700G with help from a clutch in its crotch, while a leaping snake's unique shape allows it to glide without wings.
    43m
  • EPISODE 2
    Masters of the Sky
    This investigation into powered flight reveals how peregrine falcons can top 200 miles an hour and that the albatross's secret to flying lies in its nose. Heavyweight beetles break the rules to find love, a devious sparrowhawk uses agility to execute a lightning-fast raid on its prey, and half a million mother bats dominate the night sky with a dazzling display of aerial prowess.
    43m
  • EPISODE 3
    Crowded Skies
    This exploration of animals in flight reveals a creature that can create sound out of thin air during the world's fastest courtship display and identifies the world's most aggressive bird. In a South American jungle, bats and moths fight for the upper hand, while cameras reveal the secrets that keep half a million birds from colliding as they fly in the same crowded air space.
    43m

Trailers

  • Life in the Air Trailer
    1m

Related

Cast & Crew

  • Suranne Jones
    Narrator
  • J‌B
    James Brickell
    Producer
  • S‌B
    Simon Bell
    Producer
  • T‌S
    Tim Scoones
    Producer
  • Vanessa Berlowitz
    Producer

About

Life in the Air

Documentary

An astonishing number of animals have mastered the skies. From squirrels to spiders, frogs to fish, and birds to bats, these animals hunt, travel, sleep, live and die in the air. This world has always been a mystery, a place that humans could not enter or understand. But now, cutting-edge filming technology allows us to 'fly' alongside these animals and witness their extraordinary hidden world.

Information

Studio
BBC
Released
2000
Rated
PG
Region of Origin
United Kingdom
© 2016 BBC

Languages

Original Audio
English, English (United Kingdom)
Audio

English (AAC)

Subtitles

English (CC)

Accessibility

Closed captions (CC) refer to subtitles in the available language with the addition of relevant non-dialogue information.
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Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

  • Armenia
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahrain
  • Botswana
  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Cape Verde
  • Egypt
  • Eswatini
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • India
  • Israel
  • Jordan
  • Lebanon
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger (English)
  • Oman
  • Qatar
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa
  • Sri Lanka
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uganda
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Zimbabwe

Asia Pacific

  • Australia
  • Cambodia
  • Fiji
  • 香港 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Indonesia (English)
  • 日本
  • Lao People's Democratic Republic
  • 澳門 (廣東話–繁體)
  • Malaysia (English)
  • Micronesia, Federated States of
  • Mongolia
  • New Zealand
  • Philippines
  • Singapore
  • 대한민국
  • 台灣
  • Thailand
  • Turkmenistan
  • Vietnam

Europe

  • Armenia
  • Österreich
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Bulgaria
  • Cyprus
  • Czechia
  • Denmark
  • Estonia
  • Finland
  • France (Français)
  • Deutschland
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Italia
  • Latvia
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg (English)
  • Malta
  • Moldova, Republic Of
  • Nederland
  • Norway
  • Poland
  • Portugal (Português)
  • Россия
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • España
  • Sverige
  • Schweiz
  • Türkiye (English)
  • Ukraine
  • United Kingdom

Latin America and the Caribbean

  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina (Español)
  • Bahamas
  • Belize
  • Bermuda
  • Bolivia (Español)
  • Brasil
  • Virgin Islands, British
  • Cayman Islands
  • Chile (Español)
  • Colombia (Español)
  • Costa Rica (Español)
  • Dominica
  • República Dominicana
  • Ecuador (Español)
  • El Salvador (Español)
  • Grenada
  • Guatemala (Español)
  • Honduras (Español)
  • México
  • Nicaragua (Español)
  • Panamá
  • Paraguay (Español)
  • Perú
  • St. Kitts and Nevis
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Venezuela (Español)

The United States and Canada

  • Canada (English)
  • Canada (Français)
  • United States
  • Estados Unidos (Español México)