Winter Weather
Survival 1
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How Birds
Survive Winter
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Bird Behavior in
Winter
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| What natural
methods do the birds have to survive freezing
weather? |
| Birds have two basic
methods to keep warm in cold weather- fluffing
feathers for insulation and shivering to
increase body temperature. |
| It's hard to believe summer has come and
gone, but frost is now a regular visitor. Even
in October, there was a winter storm watch with
the possibility of snow in some areas. Many of
those tasty natural treats and insects, birds
enjoy in our yards during the summer months are
gone. |
| Birds have developed
two primary ways to stay warm in cold weather:
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| Fluffing
feathers: |
| Many of a bird's
feathers have insulating qualities. When
feathers are fluffed, a dead-air space is
created between the skin and the feathers. The
greater the space, the more warm air is trapped,
which helps a bird retain body heat. It is said
that fluffing feathers can increase heat
retention up to 30%. |
| More feathers are
actually grown in the winter, sometimes twice as
many. More feathers, more fluffing, and more
heat retention. |
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| Shivering: |
| Birds use a process
called thermogenosis (shivering) to stay warm in
wintery conditions. This shivering process
helps to maintain high body temperatures-
actually five times that of their normal rate.
Because birds don't store (reserve lasts less
than one day) the necessary energy to sustain
shivering, they must continually feed to replace
calories lost to this process. |
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Winter Weather Survival 2 |
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