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AI vision system reveals bird wings evolved for heat regulation, not just flight
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Geographic and phylogenetic sampling of avian wing-bone morphology. Using measurements from 7366 skeletal specimens, variations in wing-bone length across 1520 bird species were analyzed, representing approximately 25% of perching bird or songbird diversity. Credit: Global Ecology and Biogeography (2025). DOI: 10.1111/geb.70033
Using Skelevision, a new computer vision system, researchers have confirmed that not only do animals in warmer climates have longer limbs, but that the same principle applies to bird wings, which are longer in warmer climates. The findings of the study, led by University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) Assistant Professor Brian Weeks, reshape our understanding of the evolution of bird wings to include the demands of temperature regulation in addition to flight mechanics.
"Collecting skeletal measurements on a large scale lets us answer big questions about how species evolve and interact with their environments," said Weeks.
The study, a collaboration with ecologists and computer scientists at New York University, represents the culmination of a six-year collaboration. Next, they plan to expand the Skelevision technology with an advanced 3D scanning system to measure additional properties, such as volume and surface area. In addition, the researchers have made their dataset and open-source code available to others.
Study: Longer Wing Bones in Warmer Climates Suggest a Role of Thermoregulation in Bird Wing Evolution
https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.70033