SHOT FROM THE FILE

On A Chilly Day

On a chilly day
Feathers I will splay
In this simple way
Body heat will stay

Here is an example of a unique technique used by many bird species to maintain comfort during cool weather. The strategy is to trap and hold its body heat by fluffing the feathers. The spaces created between the plumage captures the escaping warmth and insulates the bird’s skin from the cold.

~ Poem, anecdote and Red-tailed Hawk capture, On A Chilly Day © Jerry L. Ferrara