sides of wings from bird specimens analyzed by the researchers. The right column depicts a consensus wing shape generated by analyzing the wing shape of 105 bird taxon (figure f), a figure ...

Research from Washington University in St. Louis says that bird wing shape—a proxy for long-distance flying ability—is a trait that influences biodiversity patterns on islands around the world.

Everything about the anatomy of a bird reflects its ability to fly. The wings, for example, are shaped to create lift. The leading edge is thicker than the back edge, and they are covered in ...

a flight feather is shaped asymmetrically, the leading edge thin and stiff, the trailing edge long and flexible. To generate lift, a bird has merely to tilt its wings, adjusting the flow of air ...