House Sparrows Flight Velocity Measured In Three Dimensions

Authors

Wren Luo, Kenyon CollegeFollow
Ally Zimmerman, Kenyon CollegeFollow
Hibat Gillani, Kenyon CollegeFollow
Laura Mentze
Natalie Wright, Kenyon CollegeFollow

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

Summer 2025

Abstract

This study examines the flight biomechanics of House Sparrows and the effects of sexual dimorphism in flight muscle size.To test flight performance, sparrows were encouraged to fly through an obstacle course while exposed to predator sounds, Eastern Screech Owl calls, and a researcher gently chasing them. Their flights were recorded using a high-speed camera and three GoPro Hero 9 cameras. The high-speed camera provided velocity and acceleration data in two dimensions, while my project focused on the GoPro recordings. Using Matlab and the DLTdv8 App, I analyzed the birds’ flight and observed their movement and behavior in three dimensions.

Recommended Citation

Luo, Wren; Zimmerman, Ally; Gillani, Hibat; Mentze, Laura; and Wright, Natalie, "House Sparrows Flight Velocity Measured In Three Dimensions" (2025). Kenyon Summer Science Scholars Program. Paper 748.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/summerscienceprogram/748