I was going to call this post ‘Hot birds’ but thought there’d be too many disappointed googlers, though maybe some would enjoy looking at a refreshingly different site than they’d envisioned!
Last week’s weather was hot in many parts of Australia and here in Melbourne we had four successive days where the temperature reached 43, 42, 44 and 44 degrees Celsius. Hospital admissions increased, roads were melting, train speeds were reduced for safety as tracks expanded. People and pets struggled to stay cool. Car seats became too hot to sit on, candles drooped in windows, my laundry dried in the basket before it reached the line … and the wildlife suffered.
Striated Thornbill – before bathing
Canon 7D, 100-400mm L IS USM, 1/160, f/5.6, ISO 200, focal length 390mm
This heat-stressed Striated Thornbill was one of many species that cooled itself by dipping into water. It’s bill is open due to the heat, it was panting not singing. Striated Thornbills are just 10cm from end to end and weigh only 7g, which doesn’t leave much in the middle, it is miraculous that any small birds can survive such extreme temperatures.
Eastern Spinebill – after bathing
Canon 7D, 100-400mm L IS USM, 1/500, f/5.6, ISO 400, focal length 310mm
This beautiful little spinebill took several dips into the water to cool down. Eastern Spinebills are tiny honeyeaters measuring just 16cm and weighing 11g.
During a previous heatwave a family of Australian Wood Ducks were panting at the end of my long driveway. I stupidly thought how much they’d benefit from a fine mist of water so loaded myself up with a 16lt fire-fighting knapsack and ventured into the 45 degree heat. I crept towards them before stopping at a safe distance and pumping a fine mist in their general direction, hoping to see them move towards it but instead they flew away. I’d made things worse for them and on top of that I was ridiculously hot. I stood there spraying water on myself when a car pulled into the driveway, luckily it was one of my girls and when she stopped laughing she gave me a lift back to the house.
These days I just make sure the bird baths are filled with fresh water, I add extra bowls around the property and fill the trough. Birds need to wet their feathers to reduce body temperature, this makes flight difficult so I place rocks or branches into the water so the birds can safely reach dry land. I like having bird baths where I can see them from my study window, but they seriously affect the amount of work I get done.
Happy birding, Kim
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