Frosted Geese
by Elizabeth Winter
Title
Frosted Geese
Artist
Elizabeth Winter
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
It was a frosty, foggy morning and these canada geese had frost on their feathers!
If you live in an area with cold, snowy winters, you know that January means piling on the coats, scarves, and gloves, and perhaps drinking a hot beverage. But how do birds that spend their winters in cold places stay warm? Packed into those birds are physical and behavioral adaptations to keep them provisioned throughout the year!
First, birds’ feathers provide a lot of insulation. You might have noticed birds “fluffing up.” They fluff their feathers to trap air between their feathers and bodies. The result is a natural layer of insulation, like a down sleeping bag. Also, when they sleep or rest, the birds tuck their bills under their wing feathers in order to breathe in this warmer air.
You may also notice many birds coming to your feeders when it is cold and snowy. Like mammals, birds are warm-blooded and have a high metabolic rate. In the winter especially, they must eat to maintain their heart rate and be able to shiver to maintain their body temperature. As in humans, the shivering generates warmth.
While a few birds, such as the willow ptarmigan, have feathers on their feet to help keep warm, many birds have naked feet. A countercurrent blood exchange in the feet helps keep the heat loss to a minimum while preventing frostbite (see the Complex Duck Feet section). A bird might also tuck one foot up under its feathers, balancing on only one leg!
Birds also might change behaviors in the cold. Besides eating more, some huddle together for warmth. Birds such as snow grouse may hide in a snow burrow for shelter and warmth.
Finally, while many people think migration is a way for birds to “escape the cold,” often the migration takes place to secure adequate food resources rather than to just stay warm
Uploaded
November 18th, 2016
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