Flight in Vertebrates

Flight in Vertebrates

To the tune of “You Signed Up For This” by Maisie Peters

[Intro]
True flight is flapping flight and not gliding
Wing movements generate fluid movement
To control altitude and velocity
Flight evolved twice independently
It evolved twice independently
It evolved twice independently

[Verse 1]
Adaptations for flight include
In birds many alterations
Aspects of the vertebral column are fused
A surface for wings to beat against
Bones in birds are hollow tubes
This aids in respiration
Wings and feathers are aerofoils too
Aerofoils too
Aerofoils too

[Chorus]
Contraction
Of the pectoralis
Pushes the wings down and
Generates thrust and lift
And then the contraction
Of the supracoracoideus tendon
Acts like a lever/pulley system
To pull the wing back up
(Bird flight muscles)

[Verse 2]
This eliminates need for an antagonistic
Large muscle above the bird’s wing
Keeping their centre of gravity
Concentrated, providing stability
Fliers reduce their cost of transport
By gliding passively
Using thermal air currents
This is known as soaring

[Chorus]
Bats evolved
Flight independently
Their wings are thin membranes
Covering their digits
They have tiny muscles
Allowing for fine control
Of the shape of their wings

[Bridge]
Oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh
Twice independently
Oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh
Twice independently

[Outro]
True flight is flapping flight and not gliding
Wing movements generate fluid movement
To control altitude and velocity
Flight evolved twice independently