Wing movements and positioning for aerodynamic benefit by Canada geese flying in formation
Wing tip spacing (the distance between wing tips of adjacent birds at maximum span, perpendicular to the flight path), depth (distance between adjacent birds along the flight path), wing beat frequencies, and extreme relative wing positions were measured for Canada geese (Branta canadensis) flying i...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
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Language: | English |
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Canadian Science Publishing
1989
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z89-084 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z89-084 |
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crcansciencepubl:10.1139/z89-084 2024-09-15T18:00:21+00:00 Wing movements and positioning for aerodynamic benefit by Canada geese flying in formation Hainsworth, F. Reed 1989 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z89-084 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z89-084 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 67, issue 3, page 585-589 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 journal-article 1989 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/z89-084 2024-07-11T04:12:01Z Wing tip spacing (the distance between wing tips of adjacent birds at maximum span, perpendicular to the flight path), depth (distance between adjacent birds along the flight path), wing beat frequencies, and extreme relative wing positions were measured for Canada geese (Branta canadensis) flying in V formations to test for use of variation in trailing wing tip vortex positions produced by wing movements. Use of vertical vortex position variation requires similarity in wing beat frequency. An average of only 48% of 73 birds in eight formations had frequencies similar to those of the bird ahead during migratory flight (difference ≤ 0.1 beat/s). Birds whose wing beat frequency was similar to that of the bird ahead differed in depth based on whether wings were in or out of phase. Use of horizontal vortex position variation involves variation in wing tip spacing with depth, which was observed, but variation was high and median wing tip spacing was less for birds with similar wing beat frequencies to the bird ahead in only two of eight formations. Induced power saving may be limited by unpredictable moves of birds ahead and by ability to track trailing vortex positions. Article in Journal/Newspaper Branta canadensis Canadian Science Publishing Canadian Journal of Zoology 67 3 585 589 |
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Open Polar |
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Canadian Science Publishing |
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crcansciencepubl |
language |
English |
description |
Wing tip spacing (the distance between wing tips of adjacent birds at maximum span, perpendicular to the flight path), depth (distance between adjacent birds along the flight path), wing beat frequencies, and extreme relative wing positions were measured for Canada geese (Branta canadensis) flying in V formations to test for use of variation in trailing wing tip vortex positions produced by wing movements. Use of vertical vortex position variation requires similarity in wing beat frequency. An average of only 48% of 73 birds in eight formations had frequencies similar to those of the bird ahead during migratory flight (difference ≤ 0.1 beat/s). Birds whose wing beat frequency was similar to that of the bird ahead differed in depth based on whether wings were in or out of phase. Use of horizontal vortex position variation involves variation in wing tip spacing with depth, which was observed, but variation was high and median wing tip spacing was less for birds with similar wing beat frequencies to the bird ahead in only two of eight formations. Induced power saving may be limited by unpredictable moves of birds ahead and by ability to track trailing vortex positions. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hainsworth, F. Reed |
spellingShingle |
Hainsworth, F. Reed Wing movements and positioning for aerodynamic benefit by Canada geese flying in formation |
author_facet |
Hainsworth, F. Reed |
author_sort |
Hainsworth, F. Reed |
title |
Wing movements and positioning for aerodynamic benefit by Canada geese flying in formation |
title_short |
Wing movements and positioning for aerodynamic benefit by Canada geese flying in formation |
title_full |
Wing movements and positioning for aerodynamic benefit by Canada geese flying in formation |
title_fullStr |
Wing movements and positioning for aerodynamic benefit by Canada geese flying in formation |
title_full_unstemmed |
Wing movements and positioning for aerodynamic benefit by Canada geese flying in formation |
title_sort |
wing movements and positioning for aerodynamic benefit by canada geese flying in formation |
publisher |
Canadian Science Publishing |
publishDate |
1989 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z89-084 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z89-084 |
genre |
Branta canadensis |
genre_facet |
Branta canadensis |
op_source |
Canadian Journal of Zoology volume 67, issue 3, page 585-589 ISSN 0008-4301 1480-3283 |
op_rights |
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1139/z89-084 |
container_title |
Canadian Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
67 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
585 |
op_container_end_page |
589 |
_version_ |
1810437516931629056 |