“Nightjar Wings Reveal Trade-Off Between Slow Hunting and Long Migration, Lund University S” — what this page in the network covers. The European nightjar, a nocturnal bird that migrates between Europe and southern Africa, faces a unique aerodynamic challenge. Its wings must serve two conflicting purposes: efficient long-distance travel and slow, agile flight for catching insects. A new study from Lund University, published in PLOS Biology, reveals how this trade-off is reflected in the bird's flight mechanics.
The research shows that the nightjar's wing shape and movement are optimized for a compromise, allowing it to travel thousands of kilometers while still being able to maneuver at low speeds. This matters because it helps explain how migratory birds adapt to competing demands, and it could inform the design of more versatile drones and aircraft. The findings highlight the evolutionary pressures that shape wing morphology in birds that must both migrate and hunt on the wing. The full version stays on the original page, which this listing opens directly.