Wing loading
- Wing morphology, flight type and migration distance predict accumulated fuel load in birds
Summary: Fat reserves in birds accumulated prior to migration are optimised as a function of expected energy expenditure during migration, defined by an interplay between journey length and the energy efficiency of the flight apparatus (e.g. wing aspect ratio, flight type).
- Flying high: limits to flight performance by sparrows on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau
Summary: Intraspecific differences in flight-related morphological and physiological variables over an ∼3000 m elevational range indicate aerodynamic constraints on flight performance in parallel with enhanced heart and lung masses to offset hypoxic challenge.
- Intra-specific variation in wing morphology and its impact on take-off performance in blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) during escape flights
Summary: Blue tits with relatively larger wings have higher escape take-off performance, indicating that moult could increase the risk of predation.