Black Capped Chickadees' Survival during Winter

The Black Capped Chickadees are very interesting tiny birds.But as the winter is here I was wondering with little food available around how do they survive the long and cold winter nights.In general the greatest obstacle animals and birds face during the winter is staying warm. Like a little ball, small birds have a high surface area to volume ratio. As a result, they have a large surface area through which they can lose heat. In order to maintain their body temperatures, Chickadees must take in a large number of food calories which will be metabolized for body heat. So they must eat continuously during short daylight hours to stoke their metabolic fires. If they do not, they will not reserve enough energy to see them through the long night.
With an increased need for food comes a decrease in the types of food which are available. Chickadees have a diet that consists primarily of insects, fruit, and seeds. During the winter months, fruit and some insects become scarce. In order to assist with winter foraging, Chickadees (like all birds) have evolved a beak which is suited for the harshest conditions faced by the bird. Because Chickadees depend heavily on the seeds of coniferous trees during the winter, they have evolved beaks which are well adapted for cracking small nuts. There are two reasons why Chickadees are so reliant on coniferous tree seeds: 1) the seeds are high in fat and oil content and 2) the seeds are available year round.
In addition to increasing their food intake, Black-capped Chickadees have another trick for surviving the winter: they can lower their body temperatures by up to 14 degrees Fahrenheit at night to save energy. This drop in body temperature is a result of the birds' ability to decrease their metabolic rates. The fewer calories that are burned, the less energy that is created. Less energy means a lower body temperature. Black-capped Chickadees do not drop their body temperatures every night, though. This survival technique is usually saved for the most extreme cold weather fronts.With amazing adaptability instinct I hope to see the Chickadees around during winter.

Deserted Abode

"During spring birds build nests for the young ones..with the advent of winter they desert the nests on the bald branches of trees...But after the birds have gone to sunnier climes and the empty nests are the only mementos we have of them, then we may study these habitations carefully and learn how to appreciate properly the small architects which made them. I think that every one of us who carefully examines the way that a nest is made must have a feeling of respect for its clever little builder."

Chestnut Warbler at Milford Pt

Chestnut Warbler at Milford Pt, originally uploaded by Sachin N Saraf.

Snowy Egret at Milford Pt

Snowy Egret at Milford Pt, originally uploaded by Sachin N Saraf.

Monarch and beetle at Milford Pt

Monarch and beetle at Milford Pt, originally uploaded by Sachin N Saraf.

The Burdens of Beauty

The Burdens of Beauty, originally uploaded by Sachin N Saraf.

I found this Parrot at Milford and I was astonished as I never heard of Parrot being seen in wild by anyone from US in my knowledge. Fellow photographer from India told me about how these birds came here and I tried to find more on net....below is excerpt from what I read.

Even though we don't normally associate parrots with America, one species once ranged over much of the eastern United States in huge numbers: the Carolina parakeet. Tragically, the species was wiped out by humans; the last one died in an Ohio zoo in 1918.

Parrots are again flying wild in the United States, however, even if they are not native to the states they now inhabit. Several species, from budgies to Amazons, have become established in places like California, Florida, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York. These populations are made up of escaped pet birds, and there are differing opinions on whether this is a good or bad situation.But these birds are obviously as tough and adaptable as they are beautiful.

Parrots worldwide, however, are in trouble. The twin threats of habitat loss and human encroachment—added to the constant demand for these birds as pets—have caused the disappearance of some species and the real risk of extinction for many more.

The above picture is of a Monk Parakeet.

INTERESTING FACTS

* Also called Quaker Parrot, feral Monk Parakeets in the U.S. were first recorded in New York in 1967.
* Although it is an invasive species, there has been little data showing a negative impact on either native species or agriculture. It is, however, often considered a nuisance as groups are very noisy and messy in foraging.
* Its large, communal nests of sticks are easily identifiable and are often built on support poles of electrical lines.
* A group of parakeets is collectively known as a "chatter" and a "flock" of parakeets.

The Monk Parakeet has a large range, estimated globally at 2,800,000 square kilometers. Native to Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay, and present in various parts of Europe, Asia, and North America, this bird prefers subtropical or tropical forest and dry savanna ecosystems, though it has been known to live in many artificial environments such as rural and urban areas. The global population of this bird is has not been precisely determined, but despite heavy trading does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of the Monk Parakeet is Least Concern.