Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird

Autores
Williams, H. J.; Shepard, E. L. C.; Holton, Mark; Alarcón, Pablo Angel Eduardo; Wilson, R. P.; Lambertucci, Sergio Agustin
Año de publicación
2020
Idioma
inglés
Tipo de recurso
artículo
Estado
versión publicada
Descripción
Flight costs are predicted to vary with environmental conditions, and this should ultimately determine the movement capacity and distributions of large soaring birds. Despite this, little is known about how flight effort varies with environmental parameters. We deployed bio-logging devices on the world’s heaviest soaring bird, the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), to assess the extent to which these birds can operate without resorting to powered flight. Our records of individual wingbeats in >216 h of flight show that condors can sustain soaring across a wide range of wind and thermal conditions, flapping for only 1% of their flight time. This is among the very lowest estimated movement costs in vertebrates. One bird even flew for >5 h without flapping, covering ∼172 km. Overall, > 75% of flapping flight was associated with takeoffs. Movement between weak thermal updrafts at the start of the day also imposed a metabolic cost, with birds flapping toward the end of glides to reach ephemeral thermal updrafts. Nonetheless, the investment required was still remarkably low, and even in winter conditions with weak thermals, condors are only predicted to flap for ∼2 s per kilometer. Therefore, the overall flight effort in the largest soaring birds appears to be constrained by the requirements for takeoff.
Fil: Williams, H. J.. Swansea University; Reino Unido. Max Planck Institute Of Animal Behaviour; Alemania
Fil: Shepard, E. L. C.. Swansea University; Reino Unido
Fil: Holton, Mark. Swansea University; Reino Unido
Fil: Alarcón, Pablo Angel Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Wilson, R. P.. Swansea University; Reino Unido
Fil: Lambertucci, Sergio Agustin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
Materia
AEROECOLOGY
BIOLOGGING
ENERGY LANDSCAPE
FLIGHT CONSTRAINTS
MOVEMENT ECOLOGY
Nivel de accesibilidad
acceso abierto
Condiciones de uso
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ar/
Repositorio
CONICET Digital (CONICET)
Institución
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
OAI Identificador
oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/184140
Acceder
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oai_identifier_str oai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/184140
network_acronym_str CONICETDig
repository_id_str 3498
network_name_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
spelling Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring birdWilliams, H. J.Shepard, E. L. C.Holton, MarkAlarcón, Pablo Angel EduardoWilson, R. P.Lambertucci, Sergio AgustinAEROECOLOGYBIOLOGGINGENERGY LANDSCAPEFLIGHT CONSTRAINTSMOVEMENT ECOLOGYhttps://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1Flight costs are predicted to vary with environmental conditions, and this should ultimately determine the movement capacity and distributions of large soaring birds. Despite this, little is known about how flight effort varies with environmental parameters. We deployed bio-logging devices on the world’s heaviest soaring bird, the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), to assess the extent to which these birds can operate without resorting to powered flight. Our records of individual wingbeats in >216 h of flight show that condors can sustain soaring across a wide range of wind and thermal conditions, flapping for only 1% of their flight time. This is among the very lowest estimated movement costs in vertebrates. One bird even flew for >5 h without flapping, covering ∼172 km. Overall, > 75% of flapping flight was associated with takeoffs. Movement between weak thermal updrafts at the start of the day also imposed a metabolic cost, with birds flapping toward the end of glides to reach ephemeral thermal updrafts. Nonetheless, the investment required was still remarkably low, and even in winter conditions with weak thermals, condors are only predicted to flap for ∼2 s per kilometer. Therefore, the overall flight effort in the largest soaring birds appears to be constrained by the requirements for takeoff.Fil: Williams, H. J.. Swansea University; Reino Unido. Max Planck Institute Of Animal Behaviour; AlemaniaFil: Shepard, E. L. C.. Swansea University; Reino UnidoFil: Holton, Mark. Swansea University; Reino UnidoFil: Alarcón, Pablo Angel Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaFil: Wilson, R. P.. Swansea University; Reino UnidoFil: Lambertucci, Sergio Agustin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaNational Academy of Sciences2020-07info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501info:ar-repo/semantics/articuloapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/11336/184140Williams, H. J.; Shepard, E. L. C.; Holton, Mark; Alarcón, Pablo Angel Eduardo; Wilson, R. P.; et al.; Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird; National Academy of Sciences; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America; 117; 30; 7-2020; 17884-178900027-8424CONICET DigitalCONICETenginfo:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://www.pnas.org/doi/suppl/10.1073/pnas.1907360117info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1073/pnas.1907360117info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccesshttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ar/reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas2025-10-22T11:37:01Zoai:ri.conicet.gov.ar:11336/184140instacron:CONICETInstitucionalhttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/Organismo científico-tecnológicoNo correspondehttp://ri.conicet.gov.ar/oai/requestdasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.arArgentinaNo correspondeNo correspondeNo correspondeopendoar:34982025-10-22 11:37:01.724CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicasfalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird
title Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird
spellingShingle Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird
Williams, H. J.
AEROECOLOGY
BIOLOGGING
ENERGY LANDSCAPE
FLIGHT CONSTRAINTS
MOVEMENT ECOLOGY
title_short Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird
title_full Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird
title_fullStr Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird
title_full_unstemmed Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird
title_sort Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Williams, H. J.
Shepard, E. L. C.
Holton, Mark
Alarcón, Pablo Angel Eduardo
Wilson, R. P.
Lambertucci, Sergio Agustin
author Williams, H. J.
author_facet Williams, H. J.
Shepard, E. L. C.
Holton, Mark
Alarcón, Pablo Angel Eduardo
Wilson, R. P.
Lambertucci, Sergio Agustin
author_role author
author2 Shepard, E. L. C.
Holton, Mark
Alarcón, Pablo Angel Eduardo
Wilson, R. P.
Lambertucci, Sergio Agustin
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv AEROECOLOGY
BIOLOGGING
ENERGY LANDSCAPE
FLIGHT CONSTRAINTS
MOVEMENT ECOLOGY
topic AEROECOLOGY
BIOLOGGING
ENERGY LANDSCAPE
FLIGHT CONSTRAINTS
MOVEMENT ECOLOGY
purl_subject.fl_str_mv https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1.6
https://purl.org/becyt/ford/1
dc.description.none.fl_txt_mv Flight costs are predicted to vary with environmental conditions, and this should ultimately determine the movement capacity and distributions of large soaring birds. Despite this, little is known about how flight effort varies with environmental parameters. We deployed bio-logging devices on the world’s heaviest soaring bird, the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), to assess the extent to which these birds can operate without resorting to powered flight. Our records of individual wingbeats in >216 h of flight show that condors can sustain soaring across a wide range of wind and thermal conditions, flapping for only 1% of their flight time. This is among the very lowest estimated movement costs in vertebrates. One bird even flew for >5 h without flapping, covering ∼172 km. Overall, > 75% of flapping flight was associated with takeoffs. Movement between weak thermal updrafts at the start of the day also imposed a metabolic cost, with birds flapping toward the end of glides to reach ephemeral thermal updrafts. Nonetheless, the investment required was still remarkably low, and even in winter conditions with weak thermals, condors are only predicted to flap for ∼2 s per kilometer. Therefore, the overall flight effort in the largest soaring birds appears to be constrained by the requirements for takeoff.
Fil: Williams, H. J.. Swansea University; Reino Unido. Max Planck Institute Of Animal Behaviour; Alemania
Fil: Shepard, E. L. C.. Swansea University; Reino Unido
Fil: Holton, Mark. Swansea University; Reino Unido
Fil: Alarcón, Pablo Angel Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
Fil: Wilson, R. P.. Swansea University; Reino Unido
Fil: Lambertucci, Sergio Agustin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina
description Flight costs are predicted to vary with environmental conditions, and this should ultimately determine the movement capacity and distributions of large soaring birds. Despite this, little is known about how flight effort varies with environmental parameters. We deployed bio-logging devices on the world’s heaviest soaring bird, the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), to assess the extent to which these birds can operate without resorting to powered flight. Our records of individual wingbeats in >216 h of flight show that condors can sustain soaring across a wide range of wind and thermal conditions, flapping for only 1% of their flight time. This is among the very lowest estimated movement costs in vertebrates. One bird even flew for >5 h without flapping, covering ∼172 km. Overall, > 75% of flapping flight was associated with takeoffs. Movement between weak thermal updrafts at the start of the day also imposed a metabolic cost, with birds flapping toward the end of glides to reach ephemeral thermal updrafts. Nonetheless, the investment required was still remarkably low, and even in winter conditions with weak thermals, condors are only predicted to flap for ∼2 s per kilometer. Therefore, the overall flight effort in the largest soaring birds appears to be constrained by the requirements for takeoff.
publishDate 2020
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2020-07
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
info:ar-repo/semantics/articulo
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/11336/184140
Williams, H. J.; Shepard, E. L. C.; Holton, Mark; Alarcón, Pablo Angel Eduardo; Wilson, R. P.; et al.; Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird; National Academy of Sciences; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America; 117; 30; 7-2020; 17884-17890
0027-8424
CONICET Digital
CONICET
url http://hdl.handle.net/11336/184140
identifier_str_mv Williams, H. J.; Shepard, E. L. C.; Holton, Mark; Alarcón, Pablo Angel Eduardo; Wilson, R. P.; et al.; Physical limits of flight performance in the heaviest soaring bird; National Academy of Sciences; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America; 117; 30; 7-2020; 17884-17890
0027-8424
CONICET Digital
CONICET
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/url/https://www.pnas.org/doi/suppl/10.1073/pnas.1907360117
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/doi/10.1073/pnas.1907360117
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ar/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ar/
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv National Academy of Sciences
publisher.none.fl_str_mv National Academy of Sciences
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname:Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
reponame_str CONICET Digital (CONICET)
collection CONICET Digital (CONICET)
instname_str Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.name.fl_str_mv CONICET Digital (CONICET) - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas
repository.mail.fl_str_mv dasensio@conicet.gov.ar; lcarlino@conicet.gov.ar
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score 12.982451

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