行間を読む想像力の養成(4)解説編

Orville and Wilbur studied the records of people who had gone before them. They made gliders and, in 1901, built a wind tunnel to test wings of different shapes and sizes. Then they turned to the real experts. "We got plenty of flying fever watching the birds," Orville said.

Then they turned to the real experts.とは、「それから彼らは本物の専門家に頼った」という意味で、本物の専門家とはthe birdsであるのは前後関係から明らかです。
　出典はライト兄弟の初飛行についてのA Century In The Sky
というTIMEFORKIDSの記事の末尾から四段落目です。