Re: Cost in Aquatic Birds (short)

["David Marjanovic" <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "James R. Cunningham" <jrccea@bellsouth.net>
Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 6:25 PM

> Most animals are close enough to neutral bouancy (sp?)  in the water that
> lift production becomes relatively minor relative to thrust production.

Might negative lift production become interesting at low densities? Adult
birds (songbirds, probably) are given 0.8 (g/cm³) in the literature...

> [...] For most animals
> 'flying' in water, the required thrust would be much greater than the
> required lift [...] This requires a different wingbeat locus for
reasonable
> efficiency. [...]

I see. Or at least I think so. :-)