Department of Biology, Minot State University, Minot, North Dakota 58701.
Integr Comp Biol. 2002 Feb;42(1):141-8. doi: 10.1093/icb/42.1.141.
While useful in describing the efficiency of maneuvering flight, steady-state (i.e., fixed wing) models of maneuvering performance cannot provide insight to the efficacy of maneuvering, particularly during low-speed flapping flight. Contrasted with airplane-analogous gliding/high speed maneuvering, the aerodynamic and biomechanical mechanisms employed by birds at low flight speeds are violent, with rapidly alternating forces routinely being developed. The saltatory nature of this type of flight results in extreme linear and angular displacements of the bird's body; however, birds isolate their heads from these accelerations with cervical reflexes. Experiments with pigeons suggest this ability to isolate the visual and vestibular systems is critical to controlled flapping flight: birds wearing collars that prohibited the neck from isolating the head from the angular accelerations of induced rolls frequently exhibited (50% of flights) a loss of vestibular and/or visual horizon and were unable to maintain controlled flight.
虽然稳态（即固定翼）机动性能模型在描述机动飞行的效率方面很有用，但它们无法提供有关机动性能的深入了解，特别是在低速扑翼飞行期间。与飞机类似的滑翔/高速机动相比，鸟类在低速飞行时采用的空气动力学和生物力学机制是剧烈的，通常会产生快速交替的力。这种飞行的跳跃性质导致鸟类身体的线性和角位移非常极端；然而，鸟类通过颈部反射将头部与这些加速度隔离开来。对鸽子的实验表明，将视觉和前庭系统隔离开来的能力对于控制扑翼飞行至关重要：佩戴禁止颈部将头部与诱导滚转的角加速度隔离开来的项圈的鸟类经常会（50%的飞行）失去前庭和/或视觉地平线，并且无法维持受控飞行。
