Wapsi Square Forum

"...I don't even know where to start with you. I mean, do you even know who you're talkin' to? Do you have any idea, any idea who I am?

Basically -- kind of a big deal. Ya listenin'?

OK. Grass grows, sun shines, birds fly, and sistah -- so do I."

*Brandi walks in*
Ahem. Gentlemen.

sheik wrote:I'm just waiting for the reaction of the local bird watchers.
Their reports will probably be discounted just like the troll sightings.

Pibgorn, 14 January 2003:

Those birdwatchers are among the best things about that comic.

Looks to me more like all 3 of those girls are thinking same as a football player sizing up the new kid, fresh meat.

oldmanmickey wrote:Looks to me more like all 3 of those girls are thinking same as a football player sizing up the new kid, fresh meat.

Gotta be careful with that . . . some new meat is tougher than other . . .

--FreeFlier

I wonder what types of paras they are.

I'm guessing the one in the middle or a tengu or a literal harpy. Either that or some type of angel just to subvert our expectations.

I wonder what type of bird person the other two are? The gal to the left looks like she might be of Russian or Scandinavian descent, so she might be a Alkonost, Gamayun, or Sirin (a bit different than a siren). She might also be a valkyrie. I'd suggest tangata manu (Easter Island) for the gal on the right, but Atsali kind of fits that bill being that tangata manu are human/frigate bird hybrids. Perhaps she's a geruda? If so, let's hope there aren't any naga at Gryphon high.

Not necessarily certain that they are birds. Bats fly quite well, plenty of reptilian forms flew (millions of years ago, but some modern paras might have convergently evolved similar forms), some non-bat mammals glide quite respectably, and there might even be some ranaforms with really over-developed legs that might fake their way onto the team by leaping exceptionally well.

(The latter would have to be cautious about the possibility of running into a Sphinx who has relocated to the Dordogne in recent centuries.)

Dave wrote:Not necessarily certain that they are birds. Bats fly quite well, plenty of reptilian forms flew (millions of years ago, but some modern paras might have convergently evolved similar forms), some non-bat mammals glide quite respectably, and there might even be some ranaforms with really over-developed legs that might fake their way onto the team by leaping exceptionally well.

(The latter would have to be cautious about the possibility of running into a Sphinx who has relocated to the Dordogne in recent centuries.)

They've all got feathery wings.

Though I suppose one of them could be related to Quetzcoatl.

Gyrrakavian wrote:They've all got feathery wings.

Though I suppose one of them could be related to Quetzcoatl.

True... but feathers pre-dated birds by quite a lot, it seems. Some of the team might have non-avian dinosaur heritage.

(and the feathers might be falsies )

Dave wrote:

Gyrrakavian wrote:They've all got feathery wings.

Though I suppose one of them could be related to Quetzcoatl.

True... but feathers pre-dated birds by quite a lot, it seems. Some of the team might have non-avian dinosaur heritage.

(and the feathers might be falsies )

Fair point. Though, the only one that we knew flew was the yi qi (archeoptyrex is considered a bird again). But, the various microraptors could very probably glide.

Not sure how the falsies would work.


Btw, my above speculations aresolely for the 3 flight team members we do see.

Insulation.

Bat-like wings are massive thermal radiators. In cold weather, without a proper metabolism and abundant fuel, bat-like wings would be a major problem for thermal regulation. Insulation-only feathers on the wings could solve that problem.

They can also help soften the sound of flapping. Owls have floofy feathers that make them fly more quietly.

GlytchMeister wrote:Insulation.

Bat-like wings are massive thermal radiators. In cold weather, without a proper metabolism and abundant fuel, bat-like wings would be a major problem for thermal regulation. Insulation-only feathers on the wings could solve that problem.

They can also help soften the sound of flapping. Owls have floofy feathers that make them fly more quietly.

The wings of geese, which have rather harder feathers, based on having had one fly by me at about six foot altitude while i was rowing in the middle of a lake, go "wheep wheep" as they fly

Exactly. It's much harder to hear an owl coming.

Owls aren't as fast as Falcons, so they have to use surprise to catch their pray.

jwhouk wrote:Hm. I think 100/200/400/800/1600m would be too short for flyers.

You're thinking horizontal, though.

Catawampus wrote:

jwhouk wrote:Hm. I think 100/200/400/800/1600m would be too short for flyers.

You're thinking horizontal, though.

Oooh, yeah... Kinda like the race between the Bugatti Veyron and the... The... Uh... It was some sort of modern British dogfighting plane...

Anyway, the plane had to fly a mile up and back down, and the Bugatti had to drive a mile out and back in.

The plane won, btw. By a lot... But the Bugatti gave a damn good showing!

GlytchMeister wrote:Insulation.

Bat-like wings are massive thermal radiators. In cold weather, without a proper metabolism and abundant fuel, bat-like wings would be a major problem for thermal regulation. Insulation-only feathers on the wings could solve that problem.

They can also help soften the sound of flapping. Owls have floofy feathers that make them fly more quietly.

Ah, i hadn't thought of that (I was pretty much dead on my feet last night).

AnotherFairportfan wrote:

GlytchMeister wrote:Insulation.

Bat-like wings are massive thermal radiators. In cold weather, without a proper metabolism and abundant fuel, bat-like wings would be a major problem for thermal regulation. Insulation-only feathers on the wings could solve that problem.

They can also help soften the sound of flapping. Owls have floofy feathers that make them fly more quietly.

The wings of geese, which have rather harder feathers, based on having had one fly by me at about six foot altitude while i was rowing in the middle of a lake, go "wheep wheep" as they fly

Tundra swans, about the same size as geese, smack the water with their wingtips as they lift off. When a flock takes to the air, they give themselves a loud round of applause. Makes me smile every time.