The leading-edge vortex (LEV) is known to produce transient high lift in a wide variety of
circumstances. The underlying physics of LEV formation, growth, and shedding are explored …

Plumage coloration can have substantial effects on a bird's energy budget. This is because
different colours reflect and absorb light differently, affecting the heat loads acquired from …

Airplanes and helicopters use high aspect ratio wings to reduce the power required to fly,
but must operate at low angle of attack to prevent flow separation and stall. Animals capable …

Bird flight is a remarkable adaptation that has allowed the approximately 10 000 extant
species to colonize all terrestrial habitats on earth including high elevations, polar regions …

Hummingbirds are the only birds that can sustain hovering. This unique flight behaviour
comes, however, at high energetic cost. Based on helicopter and aeroplane design theory …

Powered flight was once a capability limited only to animals, but by identifying useful
attributes of animal flight and building on these with technological advances, engineers …

We investigate experimentally the effect of aspect ratio () on the time-varying, three-
dimensional flow structure of flat-plate wings rotating from rest at 45° angle of attack. Plates …

This chapter will cover clade definitions, the relationships within clades as well as the
occasional controversial relationships between different clades. Phylogenies arising from a …

Background: Powered flight is implicated as a major driver for the success of birds. Here we
examine the effectiveness of three hypothesized pathways for the evolution of the flight …

The presence of a stable leading edge vortex (LEV) on steadily revolving wings increases
the maximum lift coefficient that can be generated from the wing and its role is important to …