Re: FUCHSIA and the Ostrom Symposium Volume (long...)

[Graydon <graydon@dsl.ca>]

On Sun, Aug 11, 2002 at 02:48:48AM -0700, James R. Cunningham scripsit:
> Graydon wrote:
> > Note that chickens and other semi-flightless domestic birds will use
> > their wings to steer and to generate lift to help them over
> > obstacles;
> 
> When I'm chasing a chicken and he launches and flies 50 yards and
> lands uphill from his launch point, not only do I say, "to heck with
> this", it fits my definition of flight.  In both senses of the word.
> I don't see chickens as semi-flightless even though we've been
> selectively breeding them for increased wingloading for a long time
> now.

It does very much depend on _which_ kind of chicken, yeah; the laying
hens we had couldn't reliably get twenty feet through the air, nor above
about three feet of altitude.

> > > But then... will they use the flight stroke?
> >
> > Sure.  Becuase the flight stroke is just 'turn real sharply' or
> > 'don't fall off this rock face'; there's a smooth escalator,
> > observed in modern birds, between 'waves arms, very showy'
> > (ostriches) and the arctic tern, migrating from pole to pole on long
> > tapered wings.
> 
> I've seen film of ostriches attempting to generate turning forces with
> their wings.  I didn't pay much attention, but I wouldn't much doubt
> that they were successful.

Neat.  Never seen that, and the only time I've seen an ostrich run it
was just enough to convince the male ostrich chasing her that now as not
a good time.  Very interesting gait, but no attempt to turn abruptly.

-- 
graydon@dsl.ca   |  Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre,
                 |  mod sceal þe mare þe ure maegen lytlað.
                 |   -- Beorhtwold, "The Battle of Maldon"