HOW do birds fly?

How do birds fly?

Airplanes can fly because their wings are shaped like a bird’s wings. A bird’s wing is curved on top and flat or slightly curved on the bottom. When a wing shaped in the way moves rapidly forward, air flows faster over the curved the curved top surface than over the flatter bottom surface. The faster airflow reduces the air pressure above the wing. Air in a high-pressure area always moves toward a low pressure area. He air beneath the wing thus moves toward the area of lower pressure above the wing and pushes the wing upward. This upward force, which is called lift, enables birds and airplanes to overcome gravity, rise into the air, and remain airborne.

Birds launch themselves into air by using their leg muscles to push against a perch or to jump from the ground. At the same time, they start flapping their wings. The tips of the bird’s wings not only flap up and down but also twist forward on the down stroke. This twisting motion propels the bird forward. The rest of the wing remains level in relation to the flow of air and so provides lift.

After take-off some birds continue to fly mainly by flapping their wings. Others combine flapping flight with gilding or soaring. In gliding, birds keep their wings extended and coast downward through the air, using little energy. In soaring, birds use the energy of air movements to propel themselves without having to flap their wings. They may use wind, heated rising air called thermals, or the lift of air along a cold front.

The majority of small birds depend on flapping flight. In most cases, their cruising speed averages 30 to 55 kilometers per hour (kph). Most fast filters are large birds with long pointed wings. The peregrine falcon has been clocked from an airplane at speeds of up to 290 kph while diving. Most soaring birds are large sea birds that have long pointed wings. Such words include albatrosses, frigate birds, gulls, ospreys have been clocked soaring at speeds of up to 129 kph. Soaring land brings include buzzards and vultures. Unlike the sea soarers, these land birds have relatively broad, rounded wings. Many wildfowl, such as pheasants and quail, also have broad, rounded wings. But their wing features are particularly stiff. Birds with such wings can take off suddenly and fly at high speeds for a short distance. They seldom make long flights, however. Hummingbirds, kestrels and terns can hover in flight. In addition, hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backward.

Local Online Advertising Local Coupon Advertising