Maybe soon you get to fly with some cool looking birds.
My only experience with soaring birds was when we were "attacked" by a bird of prey. I suppose he didn't like the looks of the ugly Schweizer 2-33 we were flying. Other times you follow them to find thermals. They let you follow them and then leave. It's kind of amazing because it seems to me as some kind of air camaraderie by their part, or at least I like to think they do.
There's no better indicator than an expert aviator with feathers. ~8^)