Today is warm sweater day, on this day we turn down the heating one degree en masse and put on an extra sweater, under the motto 'heat yourself, not the world'. With this annual fun climate action, the initiators want to inspire even more people to save energy.
Birds have plumage that is suitable for surviving in nature under all possible (climate) conditions. The little wren sits singing in the snow in winter. Ducks swim in ice-cold water and are not cold.
Birds have plumage that is also waterproof. Many bird species have a down layer under their plumage. Sitting slightly convex creates an extra layer of insulation.
It remains a persistent misunderstanding that birds from the tropical rainforest or budgerigars from desert areas in Australia are supposedly hardy. Breeders of parrots and other species do not take into account the climatic conditions in the countries of origin. These birds can also withstand the cold well. It can be freezing cold at night in Australia and scorching hot during the day, so in nature the low (night) temperature is constantly compensated with high temperatures during the day.
Birds can therefore very well be outside for a while when it is cold, but this low temperature must be compensated by a heated indoor enclosure where it is at least 20 degrees. Children can play in the snow very well because this is compensated indoors by the fact that it is 20 degrees there. If it were also cold inside, we humans would also have a problem.
So for the birds: if it is cold outside in the outdoor aviary, then it is 20-25 degrees in the indoor enclosure.
Copyright © Advisory Practice for Birds | drs. Jan Hooimeijer. No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied without written permission from Jan Hooimeijer. Sharing the article in its original form is of course permitted (and even desirable) on the condition that this is always done with clear source information. The article has been compiled with the greatest care. However, the author cannot accept responsibility for any damage of any kind resulting from defects in the content.
