Chris -
The reason that the bird would not miss is that not only is the
Earth rotating, but the bird is rotating with it. The Earth, the air,
and everything in the air (like the bird) rotate together. So when the
bird is going 'straight down,' it's actually going straight down and
rotating with the Earth at the same time. So it won't notice that the
Earth is moving, too. This is the same reason that the Earth doesn't
rotate out from under you if you jump up.
Another example of this is if you and your friend are each riding
in separate cars. If the two cars are next to each other and going at
the same speed, it may look as if your friend isn't moving at all -
since you're both moving at the same speed.
-Tamara
(published on 10/22/2007)
