365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Grumpy Doves
Day 132: Although Mourning Doves are capable of entering a state of torpor similar to that exhibited by overwintering hummingbirds, their circulatory system is not as well-developed as that seen in many other non-migratory birds. Consequently, Mourning Doves are more likely to lose toes to frostbite. One hypothesis suggests that this susceptibility may be a by-product of the birds' expanding range. The species' physiology has not yet adapted to the colder northern climates. Mine are certainly not happy with this morning's snow. They have been sitting in groups on the fence and phone lines, heads pulled down between their shoulders and feathers fluffed out to trap body heat. Nighttime temperatures are forecast to drop into the low teens this week, making it rough on the pigeon-toed members of my yard flock.
Labels:
adaptation,
cold tolerance,
Mourning Dove,
Zenaida macroura
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