Original paper
Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird
Volume: 117, Issue: 30, Pages: 17884 - 17890
Published: Jul 13, 2020
Abstract
Significance Flapping flight is extremely costly for large birds, yet little is known about the conditions that force them to flap. We attached custom-made “flight recorders” to Andean condors, the world’s heaviest soaring birds, documenting every single wingbeat and when and how individuals gained altitude. Remarkably, condors flapped for only 1% of their flight time, specifically during takeoff and when close to the ground. This is...
Paper Details
Title
Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird
Published Date
Jul 13, 2020
Volume
117
Issue
30
Pages
17884 - 17890