Dr. Jenkins' research has documented previously unknown aspects of bird flight. For example, the wishbone in starlings appears to act as a spring, bending laterally during downstroke and recoiling to assist shoulder retraction during upstroke. In fact, the entire avian shoulder (i.e., clavicles, scapulae, coracoids, and the associated sternum) undergoes a rather dramatic excursion during each wingbeat. In addition, by monitoring the activity patterns of flight muscles the researchers are beginning to understand the contribution of individual muscles to specific phases of the wingbeat cycle. The present research proposal is designed to extend and quantify the researchers' original observations and undertake comparable studies on other bird species to explore the variability of flight mechanics.
