The verb αὐθύνειν (here ἠύθυνε) in this context denotes 'to steer' or 'to guide' a vessel, but the construction with the accusative object παλιντόνους (literally 'those with reversed rudders' or 'those steering backward') is a striking example of Aristophanic wordplay. The adjective παλίντονος is rare and likely coined for the comic effect of the birds' chaotic flight, suggesting a deliberate inversion of the normal direction of travel. The use of the aorist ἠύθυνε indicates a specific, completed action within the narrative flow, contrasting with the ongoing or habitual nature of the birds' flight described elsewhere in the play.