Hopping miniature parrots suggests how birds first got airborne

You have to jump before you can fly. A species of tiny parrot saves energy by hopping from branch to branch when foraging – a skill that may have helped bird ancestors to first get off the ground. These small birds hop between branches up to 30 times a minute, gaining propulsion from their legs and adding a few wingbeats to extend their range. A new study shows they do this in ways that minimise energy requirements, and suggests bird-like dinosaurs might have benefited from the technique too. To examine the biomechanics of these short flights, the Pacific parrotlets were trained to fly between perches for a food reward.