Description
Book SynopsisBird flight has always intrigued mankind. This book provides an up to date account of our existing knowledge on the subject, as well as offering new insights and challenging some established views. A brief history of the science of flight introduces the basic physical principles governing aerial locomotion. A treatment of flight-related functional morphology concentrates on the difference in shape of the arm and hand part of the wings, on the structure and function of tails, and on the shape of the body. The anatomy and mechanical properties of feathers receive special attention. Aerodynamic principles used by birds are explained in theory by simply applying Newton''s laws, and in practice by showing the direction and velocity of the attached flow around an arm wing cross section and of the leading edge vortex flow above a hand wing. The Archaeopteryx fossils remain crucial in our understanding of the evolution of bird flight despite the recent discovery of a range of well-preserved an
Trade Review...this is an expertly written introduction into all aspects of bird flight. What makes it even better is that Videler's narrative emphasis is not so much on the mechanical minutiae of avian flight, but rather on explaining and describing what makes it all work...His writing style, moreover, is enthusiastic and colourful. * PalArch's Journal of Vetebrate Palaeontology, 2007 *
The strength of the book is its comprehensive coverage of the field...Videler tells us about old work that is still enlightening as well as about the newest and most fashionable research. * Ethology, 2006 *
Videler is an enthusiast in every sense of the word, and this is a book for enthsiasts...a key achievement of Videler's book, in reviewing the current state of our knowledge, is to reveal how many lacunae remain. * Ibis *
Regardless, the book does a splendid job of conveying the reasons for the author's entusiasm for studying avian flight...the book will serve as an excellent foundation for seminars for advanced undergraduates or graduates and as an essential motivational tool for all avian biologists. * JEB, Bret W. Tobalske, University of Portland *
...the book is lucidly written, with clear explanations * British Birds, Vol 99 *
Table of ContentsPreface ; 1. Acquisition of knowledge ; 2. The flight apparatus ; 3. Feathers for flight ; 4. Aerodynamics ; 5. Evolution of bird flight ; 6. Bird flight modes ; 7. The bird flight engine ; 8. Energy required for flight ; 9. Comparing the metabolic costs of flight
