Greek mythology honours Palamedes, a contemporary of Achilles, Ajax and Heracles, for inventing the order of the Greek alphabet and the letters Y (ipsilon) and V (ni) after observing the flight of cranes. Hence the name Palamedes’ bird in Greece. Common Cranes (Grus grus) fly with their legs and necks stretched out. Migration takes place in large groups and in formation (line or V shape). When the individual leading the group gets tired, he takes a back seat and another bird replaces him. Rotations are quite frequent. Cranes can fly very high and over long distances.