How to Estimate Distance As the Bird Flies

Estimating the shortest distance between two points on the earth is easy through modern technology.

The phrase "as the bird flies " or "as the crow flies" refers to the shortest distance between two points discounting roads, hills, and so forth. As the expression implies, the distance is like a straight line in the air between the two points. To determine this distance the old-fashioned way, you would have to measure between the two points on a map with a ruler and multiply the resulting number by the map's scale. Today, Google Maps has a tool to estimate distance as the bird flies for you.

Things You'll Need

• Computer with Internet access

Instructions

1. Open your Internet browser and go to Google Maps.

2. On the first map that displays, look in the bottom left corner immediately to the left of the scale for a small ruler symbol. If you see the symbol, skip steps three and four and proceed with step five. If you do not see the symbol, go to step three.

3. Go to Google Labs (googlelabs.com). Under the farthest right hand column, Other Experiments at Google, click on Google Maps Labs.

4. You are now directed back to Google Maps. Once the page fully loads, a Google Maps Labs menu will pop up. Be sure that the first item on the menu, the Distance Measurement Tool, is enabled. Close the menu. You should now see the small ruler symbol in the lower left hand corner of the map.

5. Click on the ruler symbol. Select metric or English measurements according to your preference.

6. Find the starting point from which you wish to measure a distance. You can use the map functions to zoom in or out or scroll around the world to find the city or area you want. Once you have clicked on the point, a green marker will appear on it.

7. Do the same to find the ending point for the distance you wish to measure. Once you click on it, a red marker will appear on it, and a red line will trace between the two points. The total distance between the two points, which equals the distance as the bird flies, will appear in the box to the left.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not click on a previously labeled location on the map, such as an address you have searched for and marked. Google Maps will display a menu of options for that location rather than using the distance measuring tool.

• To get the measurement to or from a labeled point, click immediately next to it instead of on it. You can zoom into that location as many times as necessary until you are able to click right next to it without triggering the Options menu.

References

• Google Maps: Support