Re: Roadrunners and cursorial wing use

[Accipiter <darwincr@laplaza.org>]

At 08:56 AM 8/13/02 -0700, "James R. Cunningham" 
<jrccea@bellsouth.net> wrote, regarding 
roadrunners' flicking of wings in execution
of acute running turns:

 >I seriously doubt that they were using increased drag 
 >as a major source of forces to redirect their momentum 
 >since drag forces would be smaller by an order of 
 >magnitude than the more effective directed lift forces 
 >that they could create with the wings.  Are you sure that 
 >they weren't using directed lift vectors in lieu of 
 >drag vectors to assist in turning?  

Very likely so.  My facility with aerodynamic terminology is 
necessarily rudimentary, alas.  However, I do suspect that 
drag also plays a strong part, particularly in the 
on-a-dime stops, when roadrunner wings are simultaneously 
flared laterally.

Best,

John C. McLoughlin
Taos, New Mexico
USA