Re: Altitude effects on hummingbird flight?

[jrc <jrccea@bellsouth.net>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Guy Leahy" <xrciseguy@sbcglobal.net>
To: <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Cc: <jrccea@bellsouth.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 12:24 AM
Subject: Altitude effects on hummingbird flight?


> Thin Andean air requires larger wings and fuller
> strokes."
>
> A question... why would this be so?  Does this mean
> that above a certain altitude, hummingbird flight
> mechanics might not work?

For hovering flight, yes.  Limits on forward flight are not as severe, but 
do still exist.  Flapping amplitude and frequency would be the probable 
limitations.

> page 123 the largest species of hummingbird is known
> to occur at altitudes above 15,700 feet in the Andes,
> so it would seem that any altitude constraints on
> hummingbird flight mechanics are small.