19 Feb- FJ2: Field Observation: ID and Flight Physiology

February 12, 2020, 10:30am-12:00pm
Sunny with some clouds, about 12 degrees Fahrenheit, 15mph southern wind
Mostly deciduous trees, some coniferous. A few hundred feet from a river and 15-20 feet from a road in a small clearing.

Smaller songbirds like the Dark-eyed Junco have elliptical, "all-purpose" wings. These provided some lift and speed, but most importantly, maneuverability. The Dark-eyed Junco was able to fly between tree branches and take off quickly due to this type of wing. It spent most of its time in more dense brush, and this likely helps protect it from predators. Being able to quickly take off and maneuver between branches also keeps smaller birds safe. These smaller birds were harder to locate, and they were more fearful of my presence.

On the other hand, the much larger American Crows were bold and did not hide amongst dense brush in the woods. They flew through the open sky, called loudly from tree branches, and sat in more open areas near the roads. These birds had slotted, high-lift wings. This reduces drag during soaring, and the American Crows were often spotted flying through the clearings rather than darting around in the trees like the smaller prey birds. With this type of wing, the bird needs to create their own lift. This was evident by the periods of large, rapid wing flaps to propel and lift them.

There were not as many birds as I would have expected from this relatively quiet area of Burlington. It was late in the morning, so I would predict there would be more birds active earlier in the morning and perhaps later in the evening as well. The weather was lovely, though it was a bit cold. The habitat deeper in the woods and closer to the river would probably be a better location to spot birds. If I were to return to this location, I would go earlier in the morning on a slightly warmer day, and I would go down the trail further.

Posted on February 19, 2020 04:34 AM by sophiaprandini