Electrostatic Charge on Flying Hummingbirds and Its Potential Role in Pollination.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Badger M
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4589311 | biostudies-literature | 2015
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Electrostatic Charge on Flying Hummingbirds and Its Potential Role in Pollination.
Badger Marc M Ortega-Jimenez Victor Manuel VM von Rabenau Lisa L Smiley Ashley A Dudley Robert R
PloS one 20150930 9
Electrostatic phenomena are known to enhance both wind- and insect-mediated pollination, but have not yet been described for nectar-feeding vertebrates. Here we demonstrate that wild Anna's Hummingbirds (Calypte anna) can carry positive charges up to 800 pC while in flight (mean ± s.d.: 66 ± 129 pC). Triboelectric charging obtained by rubbing an isolated hummingbird wing against various plant structures generated charges up to 700 pC. A metal hummingbird model charged to 400 pC induced bending o ...[more]
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