Flap running of birds is key to evolution

Again something we knew already but now there is evidence through scientific research:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/13879244

Well I had absolutely no idea that pigeons saved so much energy by flap-running up a ramp rather than flying!
Thanks for the link, Petra!

Thanks for posting the link, Petra.
The information was very interesting.

Indeed "our" pigeons who roam our balcony do that a lot. Although it looks to me rather like a waste of energy - when they want to come in they are flap-running the "trellis" I created for the balcony door rather than fluttering around. I call it the batwalk

Although they are perfectly capable of flying on the spot like a hummingbird they prefer the batwalk!!!!

pigeonwriter wrote:

Indeed "our" pigeons who roam our balcony do that a lot. Although it looks to me rather like a waste of energy - when they want to come in they are flap-running the "trellis" I created for the balcony door rather than fluttering around. I call it the batwalk

Although they are perfectly capable of flying on the spot like a hummingbird they prefer the batwalk!!!!

I've had to install a mesh screen in the veranda (€100, ouch!) so my pigeons continue to have direct sunlight but the pigeon flies can't get in (I hate those little horrors, and at this time of year we get a plague of them!), and also to limit the access to the ferals, after going into the kitchen early one morning and finding two pigeons fighting over the dog's biscuits, one bathing in the dog's water bowl, one standing in the sink, and pigeon poop on the cooker! I love the ferals, but now they're only coming in under supervision!

But where were we? Oh yes, the screen. One of my students saw an annoyed pigeon running up the mesh and started singing the batman tune! It seems that great minds think alike!