Flying fast improves aerodynamic economy of heavier birds
Abstract A paradox of avian long-distance migrations is that birds must greatly increase their body mass prior to departure, yet this is presumed to substantially increase their energy cost of flight. However, here we show that when homing pigeons flying in a flock are loaded with ventrally located...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56325-6 |
| _version_ | 1797233699075391488 |
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| author | Charles M. Bishop Lewis G. Halsey Graham N. Askew |
| author_facet | Charles M. Bishop Lewis G. Halsey Graham N. Askew |
| author_sort | Charles M. Bishop |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract A paradox of avian long-distance migrations is that birds must greatly increase their body mass prior to departure, yet this is presumed to substantially increase their energy cost of flight. However, here we show that when homing pigeons flying in a flock are loaded with ventrally located weight, both their heart rate and estimated energy expenditure rise by a remarkably small amount. The net effect is that costs per unit time increase only slightly and per unit mass they decrease. We suggest that this is because these homing flights are relatively fast, and consequently flight costs associated with increases in body parasite drag dominate over those of weight support, leading to an improvement in mass-specific flight economy. We propose that the relatively small absolute aerodynamic penalty for carrying enlarged fuel stores and flight muscles during fast flight has helped to select for the evolution of long-distance migration. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:20:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cd1c0461efea4ef09d263283e003168f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T16:20:19Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-cd1c0461efea4ef09d263283e003168f2024-03-31T11:16:00ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222024-03-011411910.1038/s41598-024-56325-6Flying fast improves aerodynamic economy of heavier birdsCharles M. Bishop0Lewis G. Halsey1Graham N. Askew2School of Natural Sciences, Bangor UniversitySchool of Life and Health Sciences, University of RoehamptonSchool of Biomedical Sciences, University of LeedsAbstract A paradox of avian long-distance migrations is that birds must greatly increase their body mass prior to departure, yet this is presumed to substantially increase their energy cost of flight. However, here we show that when homing pigeons flying in a flock are loaded with ventrally located weight, both their heart rate and estimated energy expenditure rise by a remarkably small amount. The net effect is that costs per unit time increase only slightly and per unit mass they decrease. We suggest that this is because these homing flights are relatively fast, and consequently flight costs associated with increases in body parasite drag dominate over those of weight support, leading to an improvement in mass-specific flight economy. We propose that the relatively small absolute aerodynamic penalty for carrying enlarged fuel stores and flight muscles during fast flight has helped to select for the evolution of long-distance migration.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56325-6 |
| spellingShingle | Charles M. Bishop Lewis G. Halsey Graham N. Askew Flying fast improves aerodynamic economy of heavier birds Scientific Reports |
| title | Flying fast improves aerodynamic economy of heavier birds |
| title_full | Flying fast improves aerodynamic economy of heavier birds |
| title_fullStr | Flying fast improves aerodynamic economy of heavier birds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Flying fast improves aerodynamic economy of heavier birds |
| title_short | Flying fast improves aerodynamic economy of heavier birds |
| title_sort | flying fast improves aerodynamic economy of heavier birds |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-56325-6 |
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