Re: torpor continues John Bower 12/9/13

I'm not a torpor authority. Have only experienced it a few times in my life, all a long time ago. :,)

It certainly did seem strange that both birds in torpor (Gayle's was a different bird, right?) were still not active by 8:30 AM. Did Gayle's die too? Is there some way the light could be problematic for them? Mysterious.

About feet: my understanding is the same as Fredrick's: birds (all birds? Most birds?) are able to lock their toes into place so that it does not require muscle work to keep them locked in place. Many soaring/gliding birds (hawks, eagles, seabirds) do a similar thing locking their wings open while soaring.

At my house there has been a drop off in hummer visits as the week has worn on. Always hard (impossible?) to count unbanded birds, but I had at least two males and one female visiting my three feeders at the beginning of the cold snap. As of this afternoon, only one male visiting. I suspect the worse.


Best,

John Bower

Reflecting back now, after learning of the foot locking, my bird was still moving about the feeder at 2245 last night. When I was headed for bed at 2315 it was hanging upside down, possibly dead at that point ...maybe.  When into torpor do they normally hang upsidedown? Brian

I do not know but like you I doubt it. 

Adena

Gayle told me that her bird in torpor was also dead.
While in Carlsbad caverns this last summer, we saw a bat that was dead 
and had been "hanging on" for about 3 years. Their little claws relax 
in the clasping position while our hands relax in the flat position. 
That is why birds and bats can sleep while holding on to a perch or 
cave roof. I didn't know that until this last summer. I really should 
read that Sibley behavior book cover to cover instead of spot reading 
the subject of the moment!
Adena
I have also experienced a drop off in hummingbird activity. I never knew exactly how many hummers were visiting my feeders, but I suspect about a half dozen, including an adult male. Today I saw at least two, maybe three, and feeder visitation hasn't been so frequent (strange, because you'd think that they would come more frequently in this cold weather.). I haven't seen the adult male for at least four days. I fear for their welfare in this bitter cold weather.



Barry Ulman