|
| |
|
|
|
|
||||
| Home Help Feedback Subscriptions Archive Search Table of Contents | ||||
Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol 200, Issue 17 2355-2361, Copyright © 1997 by Company of Biologists
JOURNAL ARTICLES |
C Pennycuick
Previously published field observations of the air speeds of 36 species of birds, all observed by the same method (ornithodolite), were compared with estimates of the corresponding minimum power speeds, calculated with a default body drag coefficient of 0.1. This value, which was derived from recent wind tunnel studies, represents a downward revision from default values previously used and leads, in turn, to an upward revision of estimated minimum power speeds. The mean observed air speeds are now distributed around the minimum power speed, rather than in between the speeds for minimum power and maximum range, as they were before. Although the field data do not represent migration, examination of the marginal effects of small changes of speed, on power and lift:drag ratio, indicates that flying at the maximum range speed on migration may not represent an 'optimal' or even a practical strategy and that cruising speeds may be limited by the muscle power available or by aerobic capacity. Caution in constructing 'optimisation' theories is indicated.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  J. P. Heath, H. G. Gilchrist, and R. C. Ydenberg Regulation of stroke pattern and swim speed across a range of current velocities: diving by common eiders wintering in polynyas in the Canadian Arctic J. Exp. Biol., October 15, 2006; 209(20): 3974 - 3983. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. M. Alexander Models and the scaling of energy costs for locomotion J. Exp. Biol., May 1, 2005; 208(9): 1645 - 1652. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. R. Lovvorn, Y. Watanuki, A. Kato, Y. Naito, and G. A. Liggins Stroke patterns and regulation of swim speed and energy cost in free-ranging Brunnich's guillemots J. Exp. Biol., December 15, 2004; 207(26): 4679 - 4695. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. J. Irschick Evolutionary Approaches for Studying Functional Morphology: Examples from Studies of Performance Capacity Integr. Comp. Biol., April 1, 2002; 42(2): 278 - 290. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. J. Pennycuick Speeds and wingbeat frequencies of migrating birds compared with calculated benchmarks J. Exp. Biol., January 10, 2001; 204(19): 3283 - 3294. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A Hedenstrom, M Rosen, S Akesson, and F Spina Flight performance during hunting excursions in Eleonora's falcon Falco eleonorae J. Exp. Biol., January 8, 1999; 202(15): 2029 - 2039. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Lovvorn, D. Croll, and G. Liggins Mechanical versus physiological determinants of swimming speeds in diving Brunnich's guillemots J. Exp. Biol., January 7, 1999; 202(13): 1741 - 1752. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Y Winter Flight speed and body mass of nectar-feeding bats (Glossophaginae) during foraging J. Exp. Biol., January 7, 1999; 202(14): 1917 - 1930. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
