What is the simplest type of flight? What does effective gliding require? What is a bird's glide ratio? What is a typical glide ratio for some of the best avian gliders and which birds are among the best gliders? What is soaring? How can updrafts be generated? What limits the height to which birds can soar using thermals? Be able to explain the process of dynamic soaring. What are the six general 'flight styles' of birds, the characteristics of birds in each category (i.e., wing loading and aspect ratios), and what are some examples of species that use each style? How fast do bird generally fly? What are some birds that tend to fly at lower speeds, higher speeds? What are the most important factors influencing a species' typical flight speed? How fast can birds fly when they dive? How are birds with high wing loading able to take flight? What are some examples of such birds? How do birds generate initial flight velocities when taking off? Be able to describe the general process whereby birds land, i.e., what happens to air speed, angle of attack, the tail, and legs and feet. What is aspect ratio and how does it affect the cost of flight? How variable are bird aspect ratios - what's the lowest, highest? What is(are) the advantage(s) of high-aspect-ratio wings? Which birds have the highest aspect ratios? What are the characteristics of high-speed wings and which birds have such wings? What are the characterstics of high-lift wings and what are some examples of species with such wings? How do birds with high-lift wings reduce induced drag? What are the advantages of elliptical wings and what are some examples of species with such wings? What types of habitats do they occupy? What is wing loading? What is the general relationship betwee wing loading and flying ability (e.g., speed and energy required)? What is the flight strategy of Magnificent Frigatebirds? What is the angle of attack? What happens if the angle of attack becomes too great? Why? Why do birds tend to stall at low speeds? What happens to the angle of attack when a bird flies faster? Why? What is the alula and why is it important? What are a bird's 'eddy flaps' and why are they important? What is drag, parasitic drag, induced drag, and friction drag? How is friction drag minimized? What causes induced drag and how does it reduce lift? How are bird tails important in flight? Which hypothesis is supported by evidence provided by Longrich (2006)? Why? Be able to concisely summarize the information provided in the section entitled 'Evolution of flight: a summary.' How does an avian wing generate lift? What is Newton's third law of motion and how doe it help explain avian flight? What is the Coanda effect and why is it important for avian flight? Why does air flow faster over the top of the avian wing than the bottom? What is Bernoulli's principle? Why does slower moving air generate more pressure against a wing than faster moving air? What is the functional significance of the uncinate processes of birds? How do the aerodynamic efficiencies of birds compare to that of bats? How have the muscles of birds been modified by natural selection to meet the demands of flight? What are the two primary flight muscles of birds and what is the basic function of each? Be able to describe at least five ‘ecological functions’ of birds.īe able to explain the cursorial and arboreal hypotheses for the evolution of avian flight. Among present-day birds, which species is the smallest? Which is the largest? Be able to describe how natural selection has modified the avian skeleton to meet the demands of flight. Be able to explain the importance of the loss of teeth in bird evolution. Be able to describe at least 6 differencesīetween the skeletons of Archaeopteryx and present-day birds. ![]() Explain the factors that,ĭuring the evolution of theropods and birds, contributed to a transition from Most paleontologists believe that birds evolved from from theropod dinosaurs.īe able to provide at least 5 reasons why they do.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |