Wind vanes are devices used to indicate the direction of the wind. These devices are also known as weather vanes or wind indicators. They are usually mounted on rooftops, towers, or other high structures and can be made of various materials such as metal, wood, or plastic. Other synonyms for wind vanes include wind socks, wind gauges, and wind indicators. Wind socks are used to indicate wind direction in airports while wind gauges are placed in weather stations to measure wind speed. All these synonyms share the same function, which is to provide information on wind direction.