• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.58-64
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• 2009

This study was conducted to know the molting sequence and the aging points of flight feathers of steller's sea eagles (Haliaeetus pelagicus). For this study, two captive immature steller's sea eagles raised at the Ornithology Laboratory attached to Kyungsung University were surveyed for five years from Nov. 2000 to Nov. 2005. The survey indicated that the first molting began in July of the second year, and the primaries of P1-3, the secondaries of S18-19 (female), S17-18 (male), and S1 and S4 were replaced by one-time with second generation feathers. Generally molting stopped during the winter period, but a few feathers continued to molt during the winter. The two secondaries of S18-19 (female) and S17-18 (male) always molted every year but some of the juvenile secondaries (male: S10, S11, etc) retained for 2 or 3 years. In the molting order of primaries, the first molting started at P1 and it proceeded to P10 of outside. In the secondaries, the first molting started at S17(male) and S19(female), and it proceeded to outside. After that molting it started at S1 and proceeded to inside. In the other secondaries, the pattern of molting which proceeded in the mid-part of the secondaries was usually beginning in several different points at the same time. The molting seemed as if it depends on both the conditions of the individuals and the environment, so it was very difficult to explain the molting pattern in the mid-part of the secondaries. The longer quills (P7, P8) required for more than 68 days to develop. In the comparison of the length in the remiges between the first and the second generation feathers, the first generation feathers were the larger than that of the second. And the reduction of the length between the second and the third generation feathers was a few. The reduction of the length between the third and the fourth generation feathers was slight. The juvenile primaries were dark brown with a whitish base, which could be observed until the second or the third generation feathers (in their third or fourth winter plumage).

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.396-399
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• 2017

This is a case report of a northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), admitted to the wildlife rescue center with right coracoid and scapular fracture which received conservative treatment and was soft-released successfully. At the admission, the goshawk had callus formed on the fractured bones, scars on eyebrows and severely damaged tail feathers with inability to fly. Cage rest was indicated to prevent further occurrence of fracture and to promote reunion of the fracture surface. The bird went through a rehabilitation process with appropriate physical training in flying cage to recover its fitness and flying ability. Complete molting of flight feathers with damaged rectrices was achieved during the rehabilitation period and its flight ability was recovered favorably. It was released into a proper habitat for northern goshawks, but the bird was found near the aviary where its last phase of rehabilitation was performed. A soft-release program was applied and finally the bird returned to near the first rescue location 235 km away from the release site.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.537-542
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• 2021

This study intended to record a species of feather mite, Neopteronyssus bilineatus Mironov, 2003, (Arachnida: Pteronyssidae), from a grey-capped pygmy woodpecker, Yungipicus canicapillus (Blyth, 1845), in the Republic of Korea. Mite samples were collected from the flight feathers of a woodpecker, preserved directly in 95% ethyl alcohol, and then observed by a light microscope after specimen preparation. Morphology of Neopteronyssus bilineatus is distinguished from other pici group species by opisthosoma part with 2 longitudinal bends, tarsal seta rIII 3 times longer than tarsus III in males, and 2 elongated hysteronotal plates extending beyond the level of setae e2 in females. In the present study, a species of feather mite, N. bilineatus, was newly recorded from Y. canicapillus in Korean fauna.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.85-87
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• 2019

Eight-week-old Spot-billed duck were presented with visible drooping of both of wings. On physical examination, the Spot-billed ducks revealed valgus deformity of the carpal joint resulting in the primary flight feathers protruding dorsally. The bird was in good body condition and there was no loss of motion in any of the joints in the wings. The bird was fed chicken pellet with 18.5% of protein level and reared in a cage. Based on the clinical presentation and physical examination 'angel wing' was diagnosed. Wing bandage and nutritional change to lower-protein diet with fresh vegetables were applied simultaneously. And duck was transferred to wider outside pen with small pond. Four-week afterward clinical signs of angel wing were improved.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.25-33
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• 2019

This paper presents a novel evolutionary framework for optimizing a bio-inspired fully dynamic neurocontroller for the maneuverable flapping flight of a simulated bird-sized ornithopter robot which takes advantage of the morphological computation and mechansensory feedback to improve flight stability. In order to cope with the difficulty of generating robust flapping flight and its maneuver, the wing of robot is modelled as a series of sub-plates joined by passive torsional springs, which implements the simplified version of feathers attached to the forearm skeleton. The neural controller is designed to have a bilaterally symmetric structure which consists of two fully connected neural network modules receiving mirrored sensory inputs from a series of flight navigation sensors as well as feather mechanosensors to let them participate in pattern generation. The synergy of wing compliance and its sensory reflexes gives a possibility that the robot can feel and exploit aerodynamic forces on its wings to potentially contribute to the agility and stability during flight. The evolved robot exhibited target-following flight maneuver using asymmetric wing movements as well as its tail, showing robustness to external aerodynamic disturbances.