Birds of a feather shouldn't always flock together
23 June 2011
For pigeons, the potential benefits of flying in a tight cluster flock come at a considerable energetic cost, reveals RVC research published in the journal Nature this week.
Flying birds often form flocks because as well as the potential social, navigational and anti-predator benefits flock flight is thought to bring, there are also aerodynamic benefits, including a reduction in heart rate and reduced wingbeat frequency, for birds like pelicans flying in a V-formation.
Dr James Usherwood and colleagues from the RVC Structure an Motion Laboratory collected data from back-mounted GPS sensors attached to 18 pigeons over a period of nine pigeon-hours of flight, totalling over 243,000 flaps on seven bouts of voluntary flight. The results show that pigeons have to flap much faster when flying near, and especially behind, other birds. When flying in a cluster, the birds also engage in banked turns, like an aircraft, which effectively doubles their body weight because of G force and quadruples the effort needed.
"Taking into account the date we have collected it is a mystery why pigeons fly in cluster flocks despite the energetic cost." commented Dr Usherwood. "However, the higher wingbeat frequency we observed in the birds we studied could minimize collisions and increase maneuverability."
Notes to Editors
- The Structure and Motion Laboratory is part of the Lifestyle Research Programme at the Royal Veterinary College. Its goal is to answer fundamental questions relating to how and why animals are structured and move as they do, how movement is controlled and the limits to performance. www.rvc.ac.uk/SML
- The Royal Veterinary College is the UK's first and largest veterinary school and a constituent College of the University of London. It also provides support for veterinary and related professions through its three referral hospitals, diagnostic services and continuing professional development courses. www.rvc.ac.uk
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