Society for Science & the Public, which publishes Science News, uses cookies to personalize your experience and improve our services. For more information on how we use cookies on our websites, visit our Cookie Policy.
News Animals

Trove of hummingbird flight data reveals secrets of nimble flying

Muscle, wing form help bigger species rival smaller ones in agility

hummingbird

WHAT TO WATCH  The fast turns of hummingbirds have inspired a massive motion-tracking study of the birds’ flight maneuvers.

Lip Kee/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

By Susan Milius

This article is only available to Science News subscribers.

Subscribers, enter your e-mail address to access our archives.

Not a subscriber?

Science News is a nonprofit.

Support us by subscribing now.

More Stories from Science News on Animals

  1. bumblebee
    Life

    Pollen-deprived bumblebees may speed up plant blooming by biting leaves

    By Susan Milius
  2. a marine parchment tube worm glows blue against a black background
    Chemistry

    Here’s a clue to how this tube worm’s slime can glow blue for days

    By Carolyn Wilke
  3. Ecosystems

    Tapirs may be key to reviving the Amazon. All they need to do is poop

    By Gloria Dickie
  4. Mnemiopsis ledyi
    Animals

    Some comb jellies cannibalize their young when food is scarce

    By Erin Garcia de Jesus
  5. Asian small-clawed otter
    Life

    Why otters ‘juggle’ rocks is still a mystery

    By Susan Milius
  6. Male pug-nosed tree frog
    Animals

    Pug-nosed tree frogs use an auditory trick to evade predators and woo mates

    By Pratik Pawar
  7. Elephants
    Animals

    Why mammals like elephants and armadillos might get drunk easily

    By Susan Milius
  8. hero shrew
    Animals

    Here’s why a hero shrew has the sturdiest spine of any mammal

    By Jake Buehler

From the Nature Index

Paid Content