On the Wing: Insects, Pterosaurus, Birds, Bats and the Evolution of Animal Flight

by David E. Alexander

Ask anybody what superpower they wished to possess and odds are the answer just might be "the ability to fly." What is it about soaring through the air held up by the power of one's own body that has captivated humans for so long? David Alexander examines the evolution of flight in the only four animals to have evolved this ability: insects, pterosaurs, birds, and bats. With an accessible writing style grounded in rigorous research, Alexander breaks new ground in a field that has previously been confined to specialists. While birds have received the majority of attention from flight researchers, Alexander pays equal attention to all four groups of flyers-something that no other book on the subject has done before now. In a streamlined and captivating way, David Alexander demonstrates the links between the tiny 2-mm thrip and the enormous albatross with the 12 feet wingspan used to cross oceans.

The book delves into the fossil record of flyers enough to satisfy the budding paleontologist, while also pleasing ornithologists and entomologists alike with its treatment of animal behavior, flapping mechanisms, and wing-origin theory. Alexander uses relatable examples to draw in readers even without a natural interest in birds, bees, and bats. He takes something that is so off-limits and unfamiliar to humans-the act of flying-and puts it in the context of experiences that many readers can relate to. Alexander guides readers through the anomalies of the flying world: hovering hummingbirds, unexpected gliders (squirrels, for instance), and the flyers that went extinct (pterosaurs). Alexander also delves into wing-origin theory and explores whether birds entered the skies from the trees down (as gliders) or from the ground up (as runners) and uses the latest fossil evidence to present readers with an answer.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biology, Science, Evolution

226 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2015

About the author

David Alexander grew up near Dayton, Ohio, and earned a B.S. at the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. at Duke University. He has been on the faculty of the University of Kansas for over 20 years.

Librarian Note:
There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[Grzegorz Chrupała · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book. One thing it highlighted for me it how primitive we land creatures must seem to our winged cousins as we crawl sluggishy on the bottom of the ocean of air.

[Lora Milton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very interesting book about animal flight. It divides flying creatures into four types, covering birds, insects and even extinct pterosaurs and explains the mechanisms behind their abilities to fly and in some cases, even to hover.

The book covers how far, how high and how fast various flyers are able to accomplish and discusses hunting habits, food gathering and other reasons for developing the ability to fly.

There is a lot of straight forward scientific information, including the naming conventions for genus and species that we all learned in school, but with some inside humor regarding naming explained. It also goes into the engineering behind flight and especially hovering.

What really strikes me about this book is that despite being information rich, it is presented in a way that keeps it interesting. The same information that our high school science teachers might have struggled to convey to a classroom full of disinterested students is suddenly infinitely fascinating. There are even some amusing pieces of information and I couldn't help smiling when I was reading about gliding lizards and the book described a Draco having been seen doing barrel rolls.

A thoroughly enjoyable and educational book which I would recommend to anyone with an interest in flight of any kind.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

In basic terms, Alexander presents the current view on wing evolution across animal groups. He begins with the animals that fly and an orientation to function and mechanics of wings, elucidating how changing different characteristics of wing,s and other animal features, affect wing function. He follows this material with a chapter on gliding. These first chapters set up the in-depth discussion of each flying group: insects, bats, birds, and pterosaurs. In these chapters, he focuses on the basic mechanics of flight, its variation in modern forms, hypotheses about the evolution and the fossil evidence by animal group. There are several insets explaining concepts important for understanding the science. While the book is a good introduction to flight and wings, because it considers the topics across different animal groups, the book encourages an expansive understanding of the evolution of flight.

The book includes several illustrations, a section of acknowledgements, a note of sources, 10 chapters with references, a bibliography, and an index.

The sections describing flight mechanics and wing shape may be a bit difficult but they are worth slowing down and spending some time on. Highly recommended.

[Shrike58 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title is truth in advertising, as Alexander takes you through the evolutionary histories of the four groups of animals that can actually fly, all by flapping their wings, and examining how the biomechanics of flight works in practice. I found this to be an entertaining introduction, but I have the sense that in being ten-years old, this monograph might already be a little dated in places. Apart from that the single most striking insight to me is that bats appear to have evolved twice; the large-fruit eating bats being nearer to lemurs, while the nocturnal representatives probably shared an ancestor with shrews. Alexander dryly noting that specialists in birds have been well-blessed with fossils specimens in comparison to the other three families of flyers.

[Carlos · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alexander takes the reader through the evolutionary history of the four groups of organisms that have developed powered flight, insects, pterosaurs, birds, and bats. In the examination of each he explains the competing theories of the evolution of flight and what the most recent evidence seems to suggest for each. He also looks for commonalities between these groups and the constraints each faced when evolving flight. As can be expected for such a large group of organisms, the details in the evolutionary history of insects got a bit mired in outlining the paths of the many subgroups and their differences. While an interesting enough overview of the evolution of flight, it does not particularly shine for its attempt at engaging the not-already enthralled reader.

[The Inquisitive Biologist · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the Wing is an excellent, factual primer on the evolution of flight that helpfully assumes little background knowledge. Read my full review at https://inquisitivebiologist.com/2025...

[Elentarri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a clearly written, well researched and well illustrated book exploring the evolution of flight in insects, birds, bats and pterosaurs.

[Lara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This incredibly fascinating analysis of the evolution of animal flight is short, easy to read, and has great drawings. I particularly like how the references are organized. Alexander provides detailed scientific information and refers to numerous primary sources in scientific journals whose publication dates span a huge time period. The extensive research, the detailed discussion of opposing hypotheses, the author's own viewpoints, and the excellent format make this an amazing book.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

In On The Wing, University of Kansas scientist David Alexander takes us on a journey through the evolution of flight in all four groups of animals ever to have got off the ground: insects, pterosaurs, birds and bats. He discusses major debates in flight evolution – such as whether the first bird to fly jumped up from the ground or down from a tree - in terms that are easy for the layman to understand. He wears his own considerable knowledge of the subject lightly, giving what seems a particularly fair hearing to opposing sides whilst being commendably cautious and evidence led when giving his own verdict.

If the book has a major weakness, it’s that it can’t always decide what it is: the tone and structure veers between popular science narrative and introductory textbook, with pull-out boxes that tend to interrupt the flow. The quality of the writing varies, too, with passages focussing on the author’s observations being particularly charming but others coming across as rather dry. But there’s so much information to get across here that it’s not fair to expect Alexander’s prose to soar as consistently as some of the animals he describes.

[Lili · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from Netgalley for a review:

I had mixed feelings with reading this book, it had a really great start, one of the best introductions ever...it made Japanese Beetles into something awesome rather than just very pretty and destructive to gardens. Wings in general are amazing works of evolution, the structural natural engineering is beautiful, and this book certainly portrays them as the wonderful things we are.

My mixed feelings towards this book are towards the at times kinda rambling tone that it takes, jumping from animal to animal, at times just listing statistics about different birds and insects, so it seems a tad disjointed at times.

Overall I liked this book, but wish it had been structured a bit better.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great for high school and college students, classrooms, libraries, teachers. In depth look at he wings have evolved. The only reason I gave it a 4 star review, I wish it had an index.

Book from netgalley in exchange for review.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Everything I wanted to know about winged animals in one place. Goes deep enough to keep me, as a biologist, interested, yet can be understood by everyone.

[Mills College Library]

591.57 A3753 2015

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, insightful, and educational. I enjoyed this book and will be recommending it.