[Tweeters] Birds bobbing heads

[Dennis Paulson via Tweeters]

Thanks, Martha. I had forgotten that.

Next time you get a chance, watch flamingos in flight. Their body goes up and down with each flap of the wings, while the head stays on the same path.

Dennis Paulson


> On Dec 28, 2024, at 2:32 PM, Martha Jordan via Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu> wrote:

> 

> Stabilization is also found in flying birds. It is more easily seen with long necked birds like swans or cranes:  they keep their head still and move around it with their body in flight.  

> Having gotten to be close to a trumpeter swan flying beside a power boat (swans trained to fly next to or over the boat), it was really fascinating to watch the movement of their neck and bodies while the head remained really quite stable.

>  

> Martha Jordan

> Everett, WA

> 

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