Wing tucks are a response to atmospheric turbulence in the soaring flight of the steppe eagle Aquila nipalensis.

ABSTRACT: Turbulent atmospheric conditions represent a challenge to stable flight in soaring birds, which are often seen to drop their wings in a transient motion that we call a tuck. Here, we investigate the mechanics, occurrence and causation of wing tucking in a captive steppe eagle Aquila nipalensis, using ground-based video and onboard inertial instrumentation. Statistical analysis of 2594 tucks, identified automatically from 45 flights, reveals that wing tucks occur more frequently under conditions of higher atmospheric turbulence. Furthermore, wing tucks are usually preceded by transient increases in airspeed, load factor and pitch rate, consistent with the bird encountering a headwind gust. The tuck itself immediately follows a rapid drop in angle of attack, caused by a downdraft or nose-dow

SUBMITTER: Reynolds KV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4223896 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature