birding-aus
wrote:
>
> birding-aus
>
> Hello all.
> Reading Wim's latest prose-poem I was reminded of something that has
> puzzled me for some time ie. are birds' feet sensitive to extreme
> temperatures and if not, why not? Why don't Emperor Penguins and other
> ice-sitters get frost bite and should I be concerned if a cockatoo
> patient prefers to sit on a metal perch in hot or cold weather, in
> preference to a wooden one? (They usually have a choice).
I understand birds have heat exchangers prior to the feet. The blood
to the foot flows beside blood coming from the foot. Therefore the heat
flows from the warm blood to the cold blood so that little heat is in
the blood going to the foot. Thus, the bird does not lose heat to the
cold water via his bare feet.
The foot has no muscles and does not need to be warm. I know nothing
about the number of heat and cold sensors in the foot of the goose.
--
Harold Eddleman Ph.D. Microbiologist.
Location: Palmyra IN USA; 36 kilometers west of Louisville, Kentucky
http://www.disknet.com/indiana_biolab = Agriculture, science projects
and info for amateurs, gardeners, farmers, teachers, kids
http://wwbbs.otherside.com/PUBLIC/HOMEPAGE/haroldeddleman_303/INDEX.HTM
Home Science Projects: fun for parent and child, Computer programs
http://ibl.webjump.com/ger.htm <== Simple german for beginners.
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