Real Snowbirds Tough It Out     
     
   Thousands of Americans and Canadians head for Florida in wintertime. But leave it to the birds to show us how to endure winter.

   A naturalist at the Audubon Nature Center in Milwaukee has studied birds for 30 years. He says cardinals, chickadees, owls, some woodpeckers, robins use different strategies to cope with cold weather.  
   

black-capped chickadee

  In the fall, birds grow extra feathers. They also keep warm by shivering, as we might exercise to cope with cold. 

   Chickadees often huddle together to share heat, as do bluebirds. A bird will puff out its feathers to trap air, creating an extra layer of warmth.  

   Some birds use a process called torpor, lowering their temperature by as much as 50 degrees. This brings them closer to the air temperature, to conserve heat and energy. Normal body temperature is 105 degrees. 

   It is risky, however. Birds can't move during torpor, leaving them vulnerable to predators. 

   Bird feeders also help them cope. They benefit from peanuts, sunflower seeds, mixed nuts, mealworms and suet, a form of fat that provides energy. 

   We can't help but add that the diversity of birds along with so many other creatures, including human snowbirds, and other discoveries point to intelligent design. There is no way diversity of nature just happened by itself, no matter how many billion years scientists say the earth is.   

   But, "The just shall live by faith." Right?

         Jimmy