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Quantifying the dynamic wing morphing of hovering hummingbird.

Masateru Maeda1, Toshiyuki Nakata2, Ikuo Kitamura3

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Bird wings change shape during flight, impacting aerodynamics. This study reveals dynamic wing morphing in hummingbirds, showing significant changes in wing area, bending, camber, and twist during flapping flight.

Keywords:
3D shape reconstructionbird flightfeatherhoveringhummingbirdwing morphing

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Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Aerodynamics
  • Animal Flight

Background:

  • Animal wings are lightweight and flexible, changing shape during flapping flight.
  • Dynamic wing morphing is known to reduce aerodynamic costs in insects.
  • The consequences of dynamic wing morphing in vertebrate flyers, especially birds, are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a method for reconstructing a 3D bird wing model from wing outlines and feather shafts.
  • To obtain morphological and kinematic parameters for numerical or mechanical simulations.
  • To analyze the dynamic wing shape changes during hovering flight in a hummingbird.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a method to reconstruct a 3D bird wing model using wing outline and feather shafts.
  • Recorded hovering flight of a hummingbird (Amazilia amazilia) using high-speed cameras.
  • Reconstructed the hummingbird's right wing to analyze morphological and kinematic parameters.

Main Results:

  • Hummingbird wing shape varied substantially within a stroke cycle, with an 18% difference in wing area due to feather sliding.
  • Observed upward bending near the wrist joint, positive upward camber, and 'washout' twist during both half-strokes.
  • Found uniform spanwise twist distribution during downstroke, with an abrupt increase near the wrist joint during upstroke.

Conclusions:

  • The developed method allows for detailed 3D reconstruction and analysis of bird wings during flight.
  • Dynamic wing morphing in hummingbirds involves significant changes in wing shape, including area, bending, camber, and twist.
  • These findings provide insights into the aerodynamic consequences of wing flexibility in vertebrate flyers.