TY - JOUR
T1 - Bird maneuvering flight
T2 - Blurred bodies, clear heads
AU - Warrick, D. R.
AU - Bundle, M. W.
AU - Dial, K. P.
PY - 2002/2
Y1 - 2002/2
N2 - While useful in describing the efficiency of maneuvering flight, steady-state (i.e., fixed wing) models of maneuvering performance cannot provide insight to the efficacy of maneuvering, particularly during low-speed flapping flight. Contrasted with airplane-analogous gliding/high speed maneuvering, the aerodynamic and biomechanical mechanisms employed by birds at low flight speeds are violent, with rapidly alternating forces routinely being developed. The saltatory nature of this type of flight results in extreme linear and angular displacements of the bird's body; however, birds isolate their heads from these accelerations with cervical reflexes. Experiments with pigeons suggest this ability to isolate the visual and vestibular systems is critical to controlled flapping flight: birds wearing collars that prohibited the neck from isolating the head from the angular accelerations of induced rolls frequently exhibited (50% of flights) a loss of vestibular and/or visual horizon and were unable to maintain controlled flight.
AB - While useful in describing the efficiency of maneuvering flight, steady-state (i.e., fixed wing) models of maneuvering performance cannot provide insight to the efficacy of maneuvering, particularly during low-speed flapping flight. Contrasted with airplane-analogous gliding/high speed maneuvering, the aerodynamic and biomechanical mechanisms employed by birds at low flight speeds are violent, with rapidly alternating forces routinely being developed. The saltatory nature of this type of flight results in extreme linear and angular displacements of the bird's body; however, birds isolate their heads from these accelerations with cervical reflexes. Experiments with pigeons suggest this ability to isolate the visual and vestibular systems is critical to controlled flapping flight: birds wearing collars that prohibited the neck from isolating the head from the angular accelerations of induced rolls frequently exhibited (50% of flights) a loss of vestibular and/or visual horizon and were unable to maintain controlled flight.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0036464046&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/icb/42.1.141
DO - 10.1093/icb/42.1.141
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0036464046
SN - 1540-7063
VL - 42
SP - 141
EP - 148
JO - Integrative and Comparative Biology
JF - Integrative and Comparative Biology
IS - 1
ER -