In this part of Texas, we can generally wear shorts in the winter. But there have been a few cold spells lately that have forced me to bundle up when I go outside. This got me thinking: How do animals, especially birds, keep warm in cold weather?
Birds have several adaptations that help them survive the winter in relative comfort. One of the most obvious ones is their downy feathers. Humans use down feathers to make warm coats and other clothing, so it makes sense that down serves the same warming purpose for birds. Down feathers are fluffy, small and can be found down below the bird’s other feathers, close to the skin.
kAm%96 7=F77J 5@H? EC2AD H2C> 2:C ?6IE E@ E96 D<:?[ :?DF=2E:?8 :E 282:?DE E96 4@=5 @FED:56] q:C5D 42? >F=E:A=J E9:D 67764E 3J 7=F77:?8 FA E96:C 762E96CD E@ 4C62E6 >@C6 A@4<6ED 7@C H2C> 2:C] x7 J@F D66 2 A2CE:4F=2C=J C@F?5 3:C5 E9:D H:?E6C[ :E 92D?’E 62E6? 2 32D632==[ :E’D ;FDE 7=F77:?8 FA E@ <66A H2C>]k^Am
kAmp?@E96C D@FC46 @7 :?DF=2E:@? :D 72E] q:C5D H9@ H:== ?665 6IEC2 A255:?8 @C 6?6C8J 2C6 23=6 E@ DE@C6 72E C6D6CG6D @? E96:C 3@5J] q67@C6 =@?8 7=:89ED @C 4@=5 H:?E6CD[ 3:C5D H:== 3F=< FA 2?5 62E 6G6? >@C6 7@@5 E92? FDF2=] %96 72E C6D6CG6D AC@G:56 2? 255:E:@?2= =2J6C 36EH66? E96:C 4@C6 2?5 E96 4@=5 H62E96C[ A=FD >@C6 6?6C8J E@ 4C62E6 3@5J 962E]k^Am
kAmqFE H92E 23@FE E9@D6 A2CED @7 E96 3@5J E92E 5@?’E 92G6 >F49 72E @C 762E96CD[ A2CE:4F=2C=J E96 =68Dn q:C5D =@D6 G:E2= 3@5J 962E 2D H2C> 3=@@5 4:C4F=2E6D E9C@F89 E96:C 6IA@D65 =68D[ 4@@=:?8 2D :E 8@6D] %96J 42? 4@>32E E9:D AC@3=6> 3J EF4<:?8 E96:C =68D :? 4=@D6 E@ E96:C 3@5J E@ <66A E96> H2C> 2?5 H:E9 H92E’D 42==65 4@F?E6C4FCC6?E 962E 6I492?86]k^Am
kAm(2C> 3=@@5 6?E6CD E96 =68D E9C@F89 2CE6C:6D] r@@=6C 3=@@5 6I:ED E96 =68D E9C@F89 G6:?D] (:E9 4@F?E6C4FCC6?E 962E 6I492?86[ E96 3:C5D 92G6 252AE65 E@ 92G6 2CE6C:6D E92E E@F49 E96 G6:?D :? E96 =68D] %9:D EC2?D76CD 962E 7C@> E96 3=@@5 4@>:?8 :?E@ E96 =68D E@ E96 3=@@5 6I:E:?8] xE <66AD >@C6 H2C>E9 :? E96 3@5J 4@C6 2?5 =6DD 962E 6?E6CD E96 =68D 2?5 766E E@ 36 =664965 @FE 3J E96 4@=5]k^Am
kAmp?@E96C 4@=5 H62E96C 252AE2E:@? 42? 36 7@F?5 :? 2 3:C5’D >6E23@=:D>] q:C5D 86?6C2==J 92G6 2 9:89 >6E23@=:D> 2?5 CF? 2 3@5J E6>A6C2EFC6 D=:89E=J 9:896C E92? @FCD[ 23@FE `_d 568C66D] %9:D :?E6C?2= E6>A6C2EFC6 96=AD E96> <66A H2C> :? E96 H:?E6C[ 6DA64:2==J H:E9 E9@D6 5@H?J 762E96CD 2?5 72E C6D6CG6D <66A:?8 E96 962E :?]k^Am
kAmu:?2==J[ E96C6 2C6 D6G6C2= 3692G:@CD 3:C5D 42? AC24E:46 E@ DE2J H2C>] x7 E96J 92G6 2 7=@4<[ E96J 42? C@@DE E@86E96C[ DE2?5:?8 @C D:EE:?8 4=@D6 E@ 6249 @E96C E@ <66A E96 962E :E] %9@D6 3:C5D :? E96 46?E6C @7 E96 8C@FA H:== 36 ?:46 2?5 E@2DEJ H96? E96J’C6 DFCC@F?565 3J 5@H? 2?5 `_d\568C66 3@5:6D]k^Am
kAmp?@E96C 36?67:4:2= 3692G:@C :D DF??:?8] (96? E96 DF? 4@>6D @FE[ 3:C5D D:E @FE 2?5 D@2< FA E96 C2JD[ D2G:?8 E96:C 6?6C8J E@ >2<6 >@C6 962E H96? E96 4=@F5D C@== :?]k^Am
kAm$@ E96 ?6IE E:>6 J@F 8@ @FED:56 2?5 D9:G6C[ 5@?’E H@CCJ 23@FE @FC 5@H?J 762E96C65 7C:6?5D] (:E9 2== @7 E96D6 2H6D@>6 252AE2E:@?D[ E96J’C6 72C 36EE6C 6BF:AA65 7@C E96 H:?E6C E92? H6 2C6]k^Am
Celeste Silling is Education and Outreach Manager at the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory. For information, visit gcbo.org.
(0) entries
Sign the guestbook.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.