Hot Weather and Birds

[lynnmor 7,307]

I have traveled around the Sun for 3/4th of a century but just now learned something.  I was watching some birds on my deck and noticed that they had their mouths hanging open, so I looked it up.  Birds have no sweat glands so they pant like dogs to cool their innards.

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

There was a squirrel laying on the bird bath rim, half in, half out.  when he got one side cooled, he turned and sat the other way.

 

The birds were not amused.

 

I have an old oil burner nozzle in the end of an old piece of garden hose that puts out a fine mist.  Zip tied to a fence.  Birds love it !   Particularly the hummingbirds.  They sit on the fence and the mist bathes them...

 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,178]

1 hour ago, lynnmor said:

they pant like dogs

Do they hang out their tongues ?

 

[lynnmor 7,307]

52 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

Do they hang out their tongues ?

 

 

Some do if they are careful and don't bite it off.

Edited July 24, 2022 by lynnmor

[giddyap 1,569]

On 7/24/2022 at 11:47 AM, Jeff-C175 said:

I have an old oil burner nozzle in the end of an old piece of garden hose that puts out a fine mist.  Zip tied to a fence.  Birds love it !   Particularly the hummingbirds.  They sit on the fence and the mist bathes them...

 

 

I would like to do that for my birds. Is this the nozzle? 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

6 minutes ago, giddyap said:

 

I would like to do that for my birds. Is this the nozzle? 

 

Yes, fits nicely into 5/8" garden hose.  Throw a hose clamp on and off ya go.  It doesn't screw onto the hose thread though, use a old hunka hose.  Don't remove the sintered filter, the nozzle will clog easily.

 

They are rated in GPH, get a fairly large size, like 2 GPH if you can find one that large, if not get the biggest you can find.  They put out a VERY fine mist, almost like fog.

Edited July 27, 2022 by Jeff-C175