IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/nature/v446y2007i7139d10.1038_nature05733.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How swifts control their glide performance with morphing wings

Author

Listed:
  • D. Lentink

    (Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, 6709 PG Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • U. K. Müller

    (Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, 6709 PG Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • E. J. Stamhuis

    (Groningen University, 9750 AA Haren, The Netherlands)

  • R. de Kat

    (Delft University of Technology, 2629 HS Delft, The Netherlands)

  • W. van Gestel

    (Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, 6709 PG Wageningen, The Netherlands)

  • L. L. M. Veldhuis

    (Delft University of Technology, 2629 HS Delft, The Netherlands)

  • P. Henningsson

    (Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden)

  • A. Hedenström

    (Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden)

  • J. J. Videler

    (Groningen University, 9750 AA Haren, The Netherlands
    Institute of Biology, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands)

  • J. L. van Leeuwen

    (Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University, 6709 PG Wageningen, The Netherlands)

Abstract

On the wing Gliding birds continually change the shape and size of their wings, tuning performance by means of morphology. Aerodynamic theory predicts that birds should adjust wing sweep to suit glide speed and now a more refined aerodynamic model has been developed, based on wind-tunnel data. The results reveal a remarkable degree of control: swifts can halve sink speed or triple turning rate by choosing the most suitable sweep. Extended wings are used in slow glides and turns, swept wings for fast glides and (sacrificing lift for load bearing) in fast turns. The efficiency of 'morphing' wings is such that aircraft designers see them as possible successors to current variable-geometry wings: but the swift got there first. The stunning cover photo, by Jean-François Cornuet, shows a gliding swift in a tight turn. Taken at the swift's flight level, it shows how thin and straight the wings remain during a steady glide. Note also that the bird's head is kept horizontal to maintain a level image of its surroundings.

Suggested Citation

  • D. Lentink & U. K. Müller & E. J. Stamhuis & R. de Kat & W. van Gestel & L. L. M. Veldhuis & P. Henningsson & A. Hedenström & J. J. Videler & J. L. van Leeuwen, 2007. "How swifts control their glide performance with morphing wings," Nature, Nature, vol. 446(7139), pages 1082-1085, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:446:y:2007:i:7139:d:10.1038_nature05733
    DOI: 10.1038/nature05733
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature05733
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/nature05733?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Qian Li & Ting Tan & Benlong Wang & Zhimiao Yan, 2024. "Avian-inspired embodied perception in biohybrid flapping-wing robotics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Ikeda, Teruaki & Tanaka, Hiroto & Yoshimura, Ryosuke & Noda, Ryusuke & Fujii, Takeo & Liu, Hao, 2018. "A robust biomimetic blade design for micro wind turbines," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 155-165.
    3. Jonathan A. Rader & Tyson L. Hedrick, 2023. "Morphological evolution of bird wings follows a mechanical sensitivity gradient determined by the aerodynamics of flapping flight," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:446:y:2007:i:7139:d:10.1038_nature05733. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.