Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Kim EJ
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4233700 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Kim Erica J EJ Wolf Marta M Ortega-Jimenez Victor Manuel VM Cheng Stanley H SH Dudley Robert R
Journal of the Royal Society, Interface 20140901 98
Aerodynamic performance and energetic savings for flight in ground effect are theoretically maximized during hovering, but have never been directly measured for flying animals. We evaluated flight kinematics, metabolic rates and induced flow velocities for Anna's hummingbirds hovering at heights (relative to wing length R = 5.5 cm) of 0.7R, 0.9R, 1.1R, 1.7R, 2.2R and 8R above a solid surface. Flight at heights less than or equal to 1.1R resulted in significant reductions in the body angle, tail ...[more]