Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 21, 2026
11:56
Training Rats to Voluntarily Dive Underwater: Investigations of the Mammalian Diving Response
Published on: November 12, 2014
12.8K
Water entry impact dynamics of diving birds
Saberul I Sharker1, Sean Holekamp, Mohammad M Mansoor
1Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Utah State University, Logan, UT, United States of America.
Bioinspiration & Biomimetics
|August 7, 2019
Summary
This study used 3D printed bird models to measure water-entry impact forces. Plunge-diving birds experience safe impact forces, unlike some surface-diving birds which show potentially harmful acceleration changes.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Animal locomotion
- Fluid dynamics
Background:
- Seabirds like northern gannets dive at high speeds, utilizing beak geometry to mitigate impact forces.
- Previous research relied on numerical simulations, lacking experimental data for real bird geometries.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally investigate water-entry impact forces and accelerations in different diving bird types.
- To compare impact dynamics between plunge-diving, surface-diving, and dipper bird models.
Main Methods:
- Utilized eleven 3D printed models representing plunge-diving, surface-diving, and dipper birds.
- Embedded accelerometers to record impact accelerations during water entry at velocities from 4.4-23.2 m/s.
Main Results:
- All bird types exhibited comparable impact forces within safe limits based on neck strength.
- Surface-diving birds demonstrated high non-dimensional jerk, exceeding safe limits derived from human impact studies.
- Plunge-diving birds did not exceed these jerk limits.
Conclusions:
- Bird beak and head shape significantly influence the time to reach maximum impact acceleration (jerk).
- Plunge-diving strategies appear safer regarding impact acceleration dynamics than surface-diving strategies.
- Experimental data provide crucial validation for understanding avian diving biomechanics.
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