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Flight energetics in birds

Publication ,  Journal Article
Tucker, VA
Published in: Integrative and Comparative Biology
February 1, 1971

SYNOPSIS. Some birds can fly for more than 1000 kilometers without feeding. Are these distances compatible with the fuel reserves and the power requirements that flying birds are thought to have? The fuel for flight is primarily fat, which can make up 50% of the total body mass of a bird prior to a long distance flight. As the bird uses up fuel during the flight and becomes lighter, the power requirements of flight probably decrease. However, a constant power requirement can be assumed throughout the flight without introducing serious errors into the estimate of maximum flight distance at a given flight speed. Various methods that have been used to estimate the power requirements of flight are reviewed. Estimates based on indirect calorimetry indicate that the maximum flight distances of birds, when a given proportion of body mass is used as fuel, are directly proportional to body mass raised to the 0.227 power. Calculated values of range suggest that birds have small margins of safely in long, over-water flights unless they are aided by winds or vertical air currents. © 1971 by the American Society of Zoologists.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Integrative and Comparative Biology

DOI

ISSN

1540-7063

Publication Date

February 1, 1971

Volume

11

Issue

1

Start / End Page

115 / 124

Related Subject Headings

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • 0608 Zoology
  • 0602 Ecology
  • 0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Tucker, V. A. (1971). Flight energetics in birds. Integrative and Comparative Biology, 11(1), 115–124. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/11.1.115
Tucker, V. A. “Flight energetics in birds.” Integrative and Comparative Biology 11, no. 1 (February 1, 1971): 115–24. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/11.1.115.
Tucker VA. Flight energetics in birds. Integrative and Comparative Biology. 1971 Feb 1;11(1):115–24.
Tucker, V. A. “Flight energetics in birds.” Integrative and Comparative Biology, vol. 11, no. 1, Feb. 1971, pp. 115–24. Scopus, doi:10.1093/icb/11.1.115.
Tucker VA. Flight energetics in birds. Integrative and Comparative Biology. 1971 Feb 1;11(1):115–124.

Published In

Integrative and Comparative Biology

DOI

ISSN

1540-7063

Publication Date

February 1, 1971

Volume

11

Issue

1

Start / End Page

115 / 124

Related Subject Headings

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • 0608 Zoology
  • 0602 Ecology
  • 0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology