The co-ordination between respiration and wing beats in birds

Summary Investigations in 10 species showed that respiration of birds in flight is usually co-ordinated with wing beats, but the co-ordination is not obligatory. Respiration synchronous with wing beats (11 co-ordination) was found only in pigeons and crows, the other species exhibited one of 11 other types of co-ordination. Quails, ducks and pheasants, birds with relatively high wing beat frequencies (with relatively small wings) showed a 51 co-ordination. Within species, and even during a flight the type of co-ordination changed, and simultaneously there were sudden changes in the respiration frequency. For the most part, the beginning of inspiration was linked with the (end of) upstroke and the beginning of expiration with the end of downstroke.Issued as N.R.C.C. No. 11095Dedicated to Prof. Dr. Erwin Stresemann at his 80. birthday.We are grateful to Dr. D. Jensen for enabling the work on the gulls at McMaster University in Hamilton. We also wish to thank B. A. Mackenzie and R. Charbonneau for the skillful assistance in all experiments.