|
| |
|
|
|
|
||||
| Home Help Feedback Subscriptions Archive Search Table of Contents | ||||
A Wind-Tunnel Study of Gliding Flight in the Pigeon Columba Livia
1 Department of Zoology, University of Bristol; Department of Zoology, University College Nairobi, P.O. Box 30197, Nairobi, Kenya.
1. A technique for training pigeons to fly in a tilting wind tunnel is described, and a method of determining lift and drag in gliding flight is explained.
2. Drag measurements were made on wingless bodies and preserved feet in supplementary experiments. The results were used to analyse the measured total drag of live pigeons into (a) body drag, (b) foot drag, (c) induced drag, and (d) wing profile drag.
3. As speed is increased, gliding pigeons drastically reduce their wing span, wing area and aspect ratio. The increased induced drag resulting from this is more than offset by a very large reduction in wing profile drag.
4. Although the lift: drag ratio is at best 5.5-6.0, changes of wing area and shape keep it near its maximum, up to speeds at least twice the minimum gliding speed.
Submitted on April 16, 1968
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  M. R. Frazier, J. F. Harrison, S. D. Kirkton, and S. P. Roberts Cold rearing improves cold-flight performance in Drosophila via changes in wing morphology J. Exp. Biol., July 1, 2008; 211(13): 2116 - 2122. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. M. Berg and A. A. Biewener Kinematics and power requirements of ascending and descending flight in the pigeon (Columba livia) J. Exp. Biol., April 1, 2008; 211(7): 1120 - 1130. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. C. Carruthers, A. L. R. Thomas, and G. K. Taylor Automatic aeroelastic devices in the wings of a steppe eagle Aquila nipalensis J. Exp. Biol., December 1, 2007; 210(23): 4136 - 4149. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 N. Longrich Structure and function of hindlimb feathers in Archaeopteryx lithographica Paleobiology, September 1, 2006; 32(3): 417 - 431. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. J. Videler, E. J. Stamhuis, and G. D. E. Povel Leading-Edge Vortex Lifts Swifts Science, December 10, 2004; 306(5703): 1960 - 1962. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. E. Dillon and R. Dudley Allometry of maximum vertical force production during hovering flight of neotropical orchid bees (Apidae: Euglossini) J. Exp. Biol., February 1, 2004; 207(3): 417 - 425. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. R. Spedding, M. Rosen, and A. Hedenstrom A family of vortex wakes generated by a thrush nightingale in free flight in a wind tunnel over its entire natural range of flight speeds J. Exp. Biol., July 15, 2003; 206(14): 2313 - 2344. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. G. McCAY AERODYNAMIC STABILITY AND MANEUVERABILITY OF THE GLIDING FROG POLYPEDATES DENNYSI J. Exp. Biol., March 10, 2002; 204(16): 2817 - 2826. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. WATTS, E. J. MITCHELL, and S. M. SWARTZ A COMPUTATIONAL MODEL FOR ESTIMATING THE MECHANICS OF HORIZONTAL FLAPPING FLIGHT IN BATS: MODEL DESCRIPTION AND VALIDATION J. Exp. Biol., March 10, 2002; 204(16): 2873 - 2898. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M Rosen and A Hedenstrom Gliding flight in a jackdaw: a wind tunnel study J. Exp. Biol., January 3, 2001; 204(6): 1153 - 1166. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
V. Tucker Gliding flight: drag and torque of a hawk and a falcon with straight and turned heads, and a lower value for the parasite drag coefficient J. Exp. Biol., January 12, 2000; 203(24): 3733 - 3744. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
C. Pennycuick, A Hedenstrom, and M Rosen Horizontal flight of a swallow (Hirundo rustica) observed in a wind tunnel, with a new method for directly measuring mechanical power J. Exp. Biol., January 6, 2000; 203(11): 1755 - 1765. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A Barbosa and A. Moller Sexual selection and tail streamers in the barn swallow: appropriate tests of the function of size-dimorphic long tails Behav. Ecol., January 1, 1999; 10(1): 112 - 114. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
