The intricate dance between waves, wind, and gliding pelicans is worked out for the first time – Phys.org

It’s a common sight: pelicans gliding along the waves, right by the shore. These birds make this kind of surfing look effortless, but actually the physics involved that give them a big boost are not simple.
Researchers at the University of California San Diego have recently developed a theoretical model that describes how the ocean, the wind and the birds in flight interact in a recent paper in Movement Ecology.
UC San Diego mechanical engineering Ph.D. student Ian Stokes and adviser Professor Drew…

Click here to view the original article.