Meeting Abstract

54.3  Saturday, Jan. 5  The power of display, and the aerodynamics and inertia in flapping pigeon wings USHERWOOD, JR; The Royal Veterinary College, London jusherwood@rvc.ac.uk

Take-off, ascending and hovering flight is certainly energetically very demanding. Ascending flight is the major component of display flight in collared doves Streptopelia decaocto . Field recordings of these flights were analysed using conservative aerodynamic and inertial power assumptions, indicating that up to 232 W/kg muscle can be required. However, the energetic cost due to climbing power equates to only 5% of the basal metabolic rate derived from scaling relationships. Therefore, ascending display flight allows demonstration of maximal performance, while demanding relatively low cost. During the early stages of take-off flight, accelerating the mass of the wings appears to present a significant cost. The potential for compromise between aerodynamic efficiency and inertial power reduction is studied in take-off of racing pigeons Columba livia . The aerodynamic properties of isolated, dried revolving pigeon wings were recorded on a propeller rig. The inertial properties of the fresh opposing wing were measured, and a simple model was developed to determine appropriate flapping strategies to minimise total mechanical power for the early flaps of take-off. Predictions from this model are tested with kinematic measurements of accelerating pigeons with manipulated wings.