  Flying birds navigate effectively through crosswinds, even when wind speeds
are as high as flight speeds. What information birds use to sense crosswinds
and compensate is largely unknown. We found that lovebirds can navigate
45-degree crosswinds similarly well in forest, lake, and cave-like visual
environments. They navigate effectively using only a dim point light source as
a beacon, despite being diurnal and raised in captivity. To maintain their
heading, the lovebirds turn their bodies into the wind mid- flight, while
orienting their heads towards the goal with neck angles up to 30 degrees. We
show how this wind compensation can be achieved using a combination of passive
aerodynamics and active control informed by muscle proprioception, a sensory
input previously thought to be unimportant in detecting wind.
