Re: [dinosaur] Archaeopteryx had active flapping flight ability based on wing bone geometry (free pdf)

[Mike Habib <biologyinmotion@gmail.com>]

> 
> Ruben Safir <ruben@mrbrklyn.com> wrote:
> 
>> swans, 100% need a running start to get in the air.

Yes, because they have a derived hind limb morphology (improves swimming) that 
precludes a leaping launch. 

As a quick followup to Timâs message, itâs worth noting that launch mode 
(leaping vs running) does not correlate with body size or flight muscle mass, 
once one corrects for use of water as a launch surface. Aquatic habits explain 
effectively all the variation in launch mode. 

A great demonstration of the water effect on launch can be seen watching gulls, 
which use a leaping launch from terrestrial substrates, but a (short) running 
launch from water. They are among the few âswitch hittersâ. 

Anatomically, hind limb proportions and position predict launch mode in birds, 
not sternal morphology or forelimb morphology. Climb out performance, on the 
other hand (especially as measured by max climb out angle), appears to be tied 
to flight muscle fraction, though good data for this test are scarce (hard to 
get).

Cheers,

âMike Habib