How Hot Is Too Hot for Birds?

As the weather is getting increasingly warmer as the week goes on, we were wondering how our wild birds handle the warmer weather. 

Birds control their core body temperature like all mammals. the ambient temperature is lower than the birds normal body temperature. A birds metabolism prodcues heat to keep warm, but when the air rises above 40 degrees the birds metabolic heat will cause it too get too warm. This is why it is so important to make sure that you always have plenty of fresh cold water available for the birds when they need to cool down. 

Did you know...?

That birds will open their beaks and pant like aq dog to help dissipate heat on a hot day.

During the hotter days birds will more than likely be found in shady areas in trees and bushes. The more layers of leaves and branches above the ground, more heat will be absorbed which means the cooler the shade will be. As the weather gets warmer birds will adapt to the climate and alot less active during the hottest hours of the day.

Birds which have lighter coloured feathers will turn their lightest parts towards the heat so that more is reflected away from the bird keeping them as cool as possble. 

Physical Adaptations

1. Bare skin patches on a birds body such as its legs, feet and face allow a greater heat loss area to help cool down. Birds have got a small fleshy ring around the eye which the birds can then swell to increase the curface area if they are too oht or need to cool down quickly. 

2. Birds have got a rapid respiration rate which allows a greater heat dissipation through their regular breathing. 

3. On a hot day birds can increase the blood flow to their beaks to help release heat and when the weather is cooler the blood flow slows down to retain the heat within the body. 

How To Help Keep Birds Cool

There are many things you can do to help the birds cope better with the hot weather. 

Birdbaths ar a fab way to help cool down the birds. You will find they will bathe in the bath as well as drink from it. The depth of the water should be around 1-2 inches deep to accomate the smaller of birds to bath easily in it. 

Creating shady areas in your garden will give the birds somewhere to get out of the heat and allow them to save their enegery. Placing a feeder or water drinker in the shade will help to keep the water cooler for longer and the seed fresher for longer as it wont dry up and the water wont evaporate as quickly when placed out of the heat. The birds will also visit the feeders more frequently when placed in the shade. 

Another way to help the birds is to buy good quality food. This means that the birds will waste less energy and wont overheat when seeking food on hot days. Good quality food can provides good nutrition for the birds so they can keep themselves happy and healthy during the summer months. 

During these hot times, always remember to put out clean fresh water and fresh seed to keep the birds happy and healthy.