Testing an emerging paradigm in migration ecology shows surprising differences in efficiency between flight modes.

To maximize fitness, flying animals should maximize flight speed while minimizing energetic expenditure. Soaring speeds of large-bodied birds are determined by flight routes and tradeoffs between minimizing time and energetic costs. Large raptors migrating in eastern North America predominantly glid...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Adam E Duerr, Tricia A Miller, Michael Lanzone, Dave Brandes, Jeff Cooper, Kieran O'Malley, Charles Maisonneuve, Junior Tremblay, Todd Katzner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2012-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3338847?pdf=render