Friday, December 9, 2011

Day 23, 1/23/2011

A pair of black-capped chickadees stop at the bird feeder outside our kitchen window for a bite to eat.

These remarkable little songbirds stick around with the ravens when other species depart for the south at the first sign of winter. In order to survive the harsh situation outside they rely on their heavy down coats, as well as a few other modifications such as the ability to lower their core body temperature (which can be over 100 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the air temperature outside!) at night to reduce the amount of fat they need to burn to keep warm.

Amazing! And a lot hardier than me!

No comments:

Post a Comment