The Problem

More than 50 species of small songbirds and even the 3 g. Ruby-throated Hummingbird fly 1000km (600m) across the Gulf of Mexico. There are no stopping points along the way to rest or refuel. This feat is so amazing that for a long time scientists believed that hummingbirds flew around the gulf and many birdwatchers believed that they rode on the backs of larger birds. If you are ever near the Texas or Louisiana coasts during spring migration it is worth a visit to observe the many migrants arriving. On a good birding day waves of birds appear to drop from the sky in the morning after flying all night across the Gulf of Mexico. Land managers, scientists and concerned citizens are working to protect the coastal areas used by these migrants from development. With increasing coastal development these areas may be lost and then the birds would have to fly even farther to locate suitable foraging and resting areas.

Each group will be given the thawed carcass of a small bird that migrates across the Gulf of Mexico. Your mission (you don't have any choice on whether to accept it- neither does the bird) is to determine for this bird during a spring crossing of the Gulf

1. what is the best choice for V (velocity of flight),
   
2. what is this bird's range at the best speed,
   
3. what is this bird's range when flying against a 15 mph headwind and
   
4. under what conditions (its own physiological state and meteorological conditions) should this bird initiate migration?

After the three flight lectures you should be able to work out with your group how to solve this problem. Determine what information you need to know to answer the above questions and how you can obtain these answers. Technical assistance will be available but your group will need to know what help to ask for.