tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819688123764229065.post3829463882720395561..comments2024-02-18T03:39:19.390+03:00Comments on Notes From Kenya: MSU Hyena Research: SOUNDS OF KENYA: Displaying BustardsMSU CNShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04997499077027854416noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7819688123764229065.post-7309519978459613132015-03-18T19:03:24.647+03:002015-03-18T19:03:24.647+03:00Actually, the weight limit on flight isn't dow...Actually, the weight limit on flight isn't down to the weight a flying animal can power in the air, but how much power it takes to get into the air.<br /><br />Birds only use their hind limbs for take-off on land (waterfowl use their wings a little on water take-offs) which limits them. <br /><br />Pterosaurs, especially the azdarchids, jumped into the air from all fours; they were quadrupeds anyway. Doing this meant that the take-off was powered mostly by the flight muscles on the forelimbs, which permitted a much, much greater take-off weight of around 250 kilogrammes.<br /><br />A large azdarchid pterosaur, walking normally, would have been tall enough to be eye to eye with a modern giraffe, and fulfilled an ecological niche somewhat like a modern stork, only much larger. Such animals were mostly terrestrial walking generalist predators, which only took off when they either wanted to get somewhere fast, or had spotted a big theropod looking to put them on the menu.Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02618328278732100203noreply@blogger.com