Near-wake characteristics of a freely flying European starling

Flapping flight is one of the widespread and refined locomotion methods, commonly observed in insects and birds. Years of evolution have led these animals to feature outstanding performances in respect to flight efficiency, sensing, navigation and maneuvering abilities. Today, engineers mimic nature by developing Micro-Air-Vehicles (MAVs) which can take advantage of such unconventional propulsion and lift generation methods, used by flying animals, to enhance performance or supplant traditional methods (fixed wings aircraft). However, one of the remaining puzzles is the role of unsteady motion in the flow due to the wing flapping and its contribution to the forces acting on the bird during the flapping flight. Hence, this work addresses the near wake features behind a freely flying bird in time and space and the aerodynamic manifestation due to the unsteady portion of the flow, which results from the flapping wings.