BringBackFergy Posted February 11, 2014 Posted February 11, 2014 Winter time we put our bird feeder out. Those little chickadees eat the food. I look at these little birds sitting on a branch and it is -10 degrees out. These birds can't weigh more than 6 ounces. Why don't they freeze solid in the middle of the night? Is it metabolism? Do they have some special antifreeze in their blood? Thoughts?
stevestojan Posted February 11, 2014 Posted February 11, 2014 Found this. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080211092109AAMBhby And much longer, this http://www.stanford.edu/group/stanfordbirds/text/essays/Metabolism.html
BringBackFergy Posted February 11, 2014 Author Posted February 11, 2014 Found this. http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080211092109AAMBhby And much longer, this http://www.stanford.edu/group/stanfordbirds/text/essays/Metabolism.html OK, I get the communal sleeping in a hollow tree (20 birds all huddled together will stay warm) but I see a lot of chicks hanging out on a branch in the morning and it's freezing out. Maybe they avoid freezing because they are moving around so much but amazes me I don't find hundreds of frozen "mini poultry" on my lawn in the morning.
4BillsintheBurgh Posted February 11, 2014 Posted February 11, 2014 OK, I get the communal sleeping in a hollow tree (20 birds all huddled together will stay warm) but I see a lot of chicks hanging out on a branch in the morning and it's freezing out. Maybe they avoid freezing because they are moving around so much but amazes me I don't find hundreds of frozen "mini poultry" on my lawn in the morning. Are they sitting in the sun?
BringBackFergy Posted February 11, 2014 Author Posted February 11, 2014 Even if the sun is out partly, the temp is still -5 (with wind chill even less)...in other words, if you put a shot glass full of water outside in -5 temps, even if the sun is out, it would freeze in less than 1 hour. A chickadee doesn't even have as much liquid in its body as contained in a shot glass.
4BillsintheBurgh Posted February 11, 2014 Posted February 11, 2014 Even if the sun is out partly, the temp is still -5 (with wind chill even less)...in other words, if you put a shot glass full of water outside in -5 temps, even if the sun is out, it would freeze in less than 1 hour. A chickadee doesn't even have as much liquid in its body as contained in a shot glass. I've seen birds sitting in the sun, I guess they will get some benefit from it as opposed to not being in the sun. That and their feathers doing a good job insulating them...
Zona Posted February 11, 2014 Posted February 11, 2014 I think the down acts as fabulous insulation. Down jackets and comforters are quite warm. so down feathers under flight feathers probably keep little guys warm...
Maury Ballstein Posted February 11, 2014 Posted February 11, 2014 Why do birds suddenly appear ? Anytime you are near ?
BringBackFergy Posted February 11, 2014 Author Posted February 11, 2014 Why do birds suddenly appear ? Anytime you are near ? Unlike me...they long to be....out in the friggin cold
ExiledInIllinois Posted February 11, 2014 Posted February 11, 2014 When it gets really cold, you don't see them too much. Yet, today's high was 13. In the sun, with the angle getting a bit higher @ this latitude & as we plow through February, active thawing is happening. Then like Zevo said, there is the down... And do they go into a torpor when it is really cold? Yet, I have seen some birds dying, shocking that it is waterfowl. @ work, the swans, ducks, etc... have headed down river to the bend. That bend is where the Acme Steel mill discharges warm water. The water doesn't freeze there and all the waterfowl seem to use it as refuge from the ice fields that exist up river and towards the lake. Anyway... This (as seen in the pictures below) poor fella (or gal) didn't get the memo to meet up down below @ Acme Steel Bend w/the other birds. He was hanging out around our work flat. That vessel has water circulators (giant electric props) to pump warm water up from the bottom of the river to the surface. By doing this, we can keep the area around the vessel free of ice and its destructive nature to the hull of the vessel (heaving and shoving)... Well, it seems this little duck lost his way or couldn't find any food so he wondered into the ice. We tried to save him, but he fought like mad and wanted no part of us. It was last seen having a hell of time on the ice. A few others of this duck's feathery friends were spotted dead days earlier. It is up to you to wonder if Daffy made it out or not! Think positive! Here are the pics from last month:
BringBackFergy Posted February 11, 2014 Author Posted February 11, 2014 When it gets really cold, you don't see them too much. Yet, today's high was 13. In the sun, with the angle getting a bit higher @ this latitude & as we plow through February, active thawing is happening. Then like Zevo said, there is the down... And do they go into a torpor when it is really cold? When it is really cold (-5 or colder) I do see them...generally heading to and from the bird feeder. I think the down is the trick but there must be some crazy metabolism and heart rate going on to keep blood pumping (as opposed to turning into mush) while eating during those cold days. I think I'm gonna build these little fellas a luxury bird house with running warm water, insulated walls and maybe even forced hot air. I will post pics when it's done. It will be big enough so a few chickadees can shack up (but small enough to keep the obnoxious Bluejays out). I think that duck made it....into your crock pot.
ExiledInIllinois Posted February 11, 2014 Posted February 11, 2014 When it is really cold (-5 or colder) I do see them...generally heading to and from the bird feeder. I think the down is the trick but there must be some crazy metabolism and heart rate going on to keep blood pumping (as opposed to turning into mush) while eating during those cold days. I think I'm gonna build these little fellas a luxury bird house with running warm water, insulated walls and maybe even forced hot air. I will post pics when it's done. It will be big enough so a few chickadees can shack up (but small enough to keep the obnoxious Bluejays out). I think that duck made it....into your crock pot. You gotta a little Snoopy in you? Woodstock always made the best of his digs and survived alright!
BringBackFergy Posted February 11, 2014 Author Posted February 11, 2014 Here's a really dumb question-- but why don't all these birds fly south for the winter? I thought that's what all birds do. No ****...right? I thought the same thing. Why not fly down to at least Virginia until this -8 crap (temp this morning) is gone. Must have something to do with their food source in the northeast. There's gotta be some federal funding for this study somewhere.
Wooderson Posted February 11, 2014 Posted February 11, 2014 Here's a really dumb question-- but why don't all these birds fly south for the winter? I thought that's what all birds do. This is a complete guess but does the size of the bird matter? Geese and other larger birds seem to make the trek but the smaller birds are the ones that I always see around in the winter.
ExiledInIllinois Posted February 11, 2014 Posted February 11, 2014 Here's a really dumb question-- but why don't all these birds fly south for the winter? I thought that's what all birds do. Like I said... The duck pic I posted didn't get the memo! The others found the warm water output on the river... This is a complete guess but does the size of the bird matter? Geese and other larger birds seem to make the trek but the smaller birds are the ones that I always see around in the winter. No. I know this for a fact I read recently. 1 ounce or so hummigbirds make the trek across The Gulf in one non-stop shot.
shrader Posted February 11, 2014 Posted February 11, 2014 This is a complete guess but does the size of the bird matter? Geese and other larger birds seem to make the trek but the smaller birds are the ones that I always see around in the winter. The larger ones probably have a much harder time finding shelter in the winter than the little ones.
BringBackFergy Posted February 11, 2014 Author Posted February 11, 2014 The larger ones probably have a much harder time finding shelter in the winter than the little ones. That can be said for a lot of things. Not speaking from experience mind you.
Steve O Posted February 11, 2014 Posted February 11, 2014 I've seen "dumb question" referenced a couple times in this string including the OP. Enough already. Remember, there are no dumb questions, just dumb people that ask questions.
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