Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have made a fascinating discovery about how hummingbirds navigate through small gaps that are smaller than their wingspan. The team found that these tiny birds utilize two different strategies to squeeze through tight spaces, shedding new light on their incredible abilities.
The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Biology, involved four Anna’s hummingbirds and two fake flowers. The flowers were set up to only refill with nectar when the birds visited the other flower, prompting the birds to fly back and forth between them. The team then introduced various partitions with circular or oval apertures of different sizes, to see how the birds would navigate through them.
The researchers recorded the birds’ movements and found that the birds used two distinct strategies to pass through the apertures. In one extreme, the birds swept back their wings against their body and paused their flapping to rapidly pass through the aperture like a bullet. In the other strategy, they took a slower approach, rolling their body and turning their head to pass sideways through the hole while continuing to flap.
The study revealed that both techniques were used on most of the apertures, with the birds tending to use the bullet approach more often over the course of the experiments, regardless of the size and shape of the aperture.
Dr. Marc Badger, the first author of the research, emphasized the remarkable control the hummingbirds have over their wings during flight, adjusting their posture flap-by-flap to navigate through tiny spaces. He noted that while many people may think of hummingbirds as very fast and maneuverable, the study shows that their abilities extend beyond what is commonly observed in open spaces.
The research not only sheds new light on the incredible maneuvering abilities of hummingbirds but also highlights the birds’ remarkable adaptability in adjusting their strategies as they move to fly through small spaces. Further study into the unique flying abilities of hummingbirds could offer insights into the evolution of flight and inspire new approaches to aerodynamics and aviation.