Email Print Share

News From the Field

Researchers Unlock Fundamental Secret of Bird Flight


January 20, 2008

This material is available primarily for archival purposes. Telephone numbers or other contact information may be out of date; please see current contact information at media contacts.

To human eyes, bird flight seems a complex, almost mystical, aerial dance. However, it may not be as complicated as it looks. High-speed cameras at the University of Montana Flight Laboratory reveal all birds use a similar wing angle relative to the ground to gain altitude, glide, descend or run up steep surfaces. Discovery of this fundamental wing stroke may help explain how birds evolved to take to the skies.Full Story

Source
University of Montana

The U.S. National Science Foundation propels the nation forward by advancing fundamental research in all fields of science and engineering. NSF supports research and people by providing facilities, instruments and funding to support their ingenuity and sustain the U.S. as a global leader in research and innovation. With a fiscal year 2023 budget of $9.5 billion, NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 40,000 competitive proposals and makes about 11,000 new awards. Those awards include support for cooperative research with industry, Arctic and Antarctic research and operations, and U.S. participation in international scientific efforts.

mail icon Get News Updates by Email 

Connect with us online
NSF website: nsf.gov
NSF News: nsf.gov/news
For News Media: nsf.gov/news/newsroom
Statistics: nsf.gov/statistics/
Awards database: nsf.gov/awardsearch/

Follow us on social
Twitter: twitter.com/NSF
Facebook: facebook.com/US.NSF
Instagram: instagram.com/nsfgov