Biomechanics of Flight
Fall, 2014
Birds of the A. Jewell Schock Museum of Natural History
1. General Museum information (optional)
2. General information on biomechanics
3. Give the common name and genus and species names for the specimen and then use only the common name after that.
4. Tell the listener what type of bird your specimen is (choose from: shore bird, water fowl, ground bird, song bird, bird of prey).
5. What is its general habitat and method of feeding (is it a predator, seed eater, insect eater)?
6. Note that the species is found in North America and can often be seen in Nebraska.
7. General information biomechanics of flight from (http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/vertebrates/flight/physics.html)
8. Describe the size and shape of the bird and how that relates to the bird’s flight.
9. Describe the shape of the wings and how this shape may relate to flight.
10. Does the bird have to run to fly? Does it take off from the water? Does it drop from a tree?
11. How does the bird land using its wings and tail feathers?
12. How does the bird fly? Your description should make use of concepts such as airfoils, lift, supination and pronation, wing rotation.
13. Compare flight to one other type of bird.
14. Application of those biomechanics in robotics or aeronautics.
Create a bibliography for your final script.