[scrumbledober]

terrestrial birds which would all have far too low of a lift to weight ratio on mars to ever have any hope of flying. The current mars helicopter is pretty incredible

[cratermoon]

Yes, to be pedantic about it, but I didn't say "send birds" or "do exactly what birds do", I said to look to them for ideas. Eliminate every extra gram, optimize aerodynamics and control for the purpose (c.f. owls vs. quail vs. hummingbird vs. woodpeckers) and go from there. Don't try to build a flying machine around power source that is essentially a hunk of dense metal.

[scrumbledober]

just pointing out that you'd have to go to much further lengths than birds on earth have gone

[cratermoon]

No, you're just missing the point of my argument with and arguing pedantics by insisting on a literal reading what I said.