Thursday September 2 2010
Swallow-tailed Kite

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This is some video of a swallow-tailed kite that Nancy spotted while she was on vulture patrol. OK, I know you are wondering why Nancy is on vulture patrol, but it is not a strange as it sounds. I am working on a video about food webs and how energy flows through a living system, and I need video footage of scavengers. To help, Nancy is keeping an eye out for vultures that are feeding on roadkill. She spotted this kite near a spot where several vultures were eatting the carcass of a deer, and I thought that the music fit the kite better than it did the vultures.

What is your name

What is your name and how did you become a scientist

RE: How did I become a scientist

My name is Robert Krampf. My love of science started when I was about 4, and was obsessed with dinosaurs.
That grew into a hobby of collecting fossils, which led me to study geology in college. I got a job at the local science museum (The Memphis Pink Palace Museum) and worked there for 13 years, teaching geology, biology, chemistry, and physics. For the past 22 years, I have been roaming the country, presenting live shows and making videos, trying to show people how much fun science can be.

Question

Dear Mr. Krampf,
Do swallow tail kites use their tails to help steer them?

RE: Question

Yes, they use their tails more than their wings for steering. Watch how the tail rotates back and forth as the kite flies.

Quicktime Player

The video keeps stopping...it's downloading too slowly. It's been about 4 minutes so far and it's only downloaded about a tenth of the video.

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