Hummingbird program on tap

Flathead Audubon will present an online program at 7 p.m. Oct. 12 Bret Tobalske, professor of organismal biology, ecology and evolution in the Division of Biological Sciences at the University of Montana and is director of the Field Research Station at Fort Missoula.

He will explore the diverse aspects of the hummingbird’s biological form and function that facilitate their prowess in flight. Hummingbirds are unique among birds in converging upon the capacity of insects for indefinite hovering and remarkable maneuvering during flight. They also are adept at forward flight and some species migrate. The flight performance of hummingbirds represents an extreme with limits imposed by evolution as a vertebrate and it provides a useful model for the development of bio-inspired, autonomous flying vehicles. For more information on how to access the program, go to www.flatheadaudubon.org