Happy Friday, Missians!
It's time to roll out our latest edition of "Hibernation Nation". Today's Hibernation Nation, Animal of the week is the Common Poorwill. Never heard of this birdie? No prob. Just keep reading. Today's Common Poorwill information is courtesy of Beauty of Birds.com.
https://www.beautyofbirds.com/commonpoorwill.html
The Common Poorwill, Phalaenoptilus nuttallii, is the smallest member of the North American nightjar family. It is related to the nighthawks.
Even though, the Common Poorwill is fairly common in western parts of the United States, it is rarely seen as it is only active at night (nocturnal).
The Common Poorwill is considered the western counterpart of the related and similar eastern Whip-poor-will - in fact, in the past, these two were considered a single species.
Common Poorwills can enter hibernation in response to environmental stress (lack of food and / or inclement weather). Mostly populations occurring on the southern edge of this species' range in the United States enter hibernation, with reports from California, New Mexico and as far north as North Dakota (Meriwether Lewis, 1804). The northern populations typically migrate south to winter in warmer climates rather than hibernating.
When hibernating, they typically hide away in rocky crevices for several weeks (mostly winter time) and emerge in spring when the temperature has risen and food (insects) are readily available.
Hibernation has also been induced in captive specimens by withholding food and decreasing the environmental temperature. Researchers found that they would come out of hibernation when the room temperature increased to as low as 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) (Howell and Bartholomew, 1959; Jaeger, 1949; Withers, 1977).
However, it is entirely possible - although not officially proven - that other members of the typical Nightjar family (caprimulgids) also hibernate.
Other bird species go into "temporary hibernation" -- also commonly referred to as "torpor" - which is not as deep as true hibernation and only lasts for shorter periods (generally overnight or when food is scarce).
Birds that are known to enter a state of "semi-hibernation" or "suspended animation" on a regular basis, include hummingbirds, mousebirds, manakins,and swifts.
To find out more facts about the Common Poorwill, such as nesting, behavior, and habitat, refer back to the source link above.
Be sure to hit me up again tomorrow for our first Missy Show Google Hangouts episode title and synopsis, (scheduled for February 17th).
Until tomorrow,
This is your host J,
signing off...
It's time to roll out our latest edition of "Hibernation Nation". Today's Hibernation Nation, Animal of the week is the Common Poorwill. Never heard of this birdie? No prob. Just keep reading. Today's Common Poorwill information is courtesy of Beauty of Birds.com.
https://www.beautyofbirds.com/commonpoorwill.html
The Common Poorwill, Phalaenoptilus nuttallii, is the smallest member of the North American nightjar family. It is related to the nighthawks.
Even though, the Common Poorwill is fairly common in western parts of the United States, it is rarely seen as it is only active at night (nocturnal).
The Common Poorwill is considered the western counterpart of the related and similar eastern Whip-poor-will - in fact, in the past, these two were considered a single species.
Its scientific name "nuttallii" honors the English-born American ornithologist Thomas Nuttall.
Hibernation:
The Common Poorwill has gained fame as the first bird species KNOWN to hibernate for weeks or even months under natural conditions. One individual was recorded to remain in hibernation for at least 85 days for the 1947 to 1948 season (Jaeger, 1949). However, the first ones to be aware of this species' behavior appear to have been the Native Americans of the Hopi tribe as they referred to the Common Poorwill as "The Sleeping One".
The Common Poorwill has gained fame as the first bird species KNOWN to hibernate for weeks or even months under natural conditions. One individual was recorded to remain in hibernation for at least 85 days for the 1947 to 1948 season (Jaeger, 1949). However, the first ones to be aware of this species' behavior appear to have been the Native Americans of the Hopi tribe as they referred to the Common Poorwill as "The Sleeping One".
Hibernation involves slowing the metabolic rate, dropping the body temperature down dramatically and a slowing heart rate. This allows a bird to go without food for extended periods and survive cold spells.
To find out more facts about the Common Poorwill, such as nesting, behavior, and habitat, refer back to the source link above.
Be sure to hit me up again tomorrow for our first Missy Show Google Hangouts episode title and synopsis, (scheduled for February 17th).
Until tomorrow,
This is your host J,
signing off...
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| Common Poorwill (picture courtesy of Connor Long). This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license) |
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