Birds 'flap run' instead if flying over obstacles to save energy

Birds don't always fly over obstacles; sometimes they run over while flapping their wings. Intrigued by this behavior, scientists measured how much energy flap running birds use compared to their flying counterparts and found that it is less than 10 percent. They suspect that chicks could flap run to build up muscles before their maiden flight and that flap running could have been a key stage in evolution of flight.

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