Being Rude? Or Just Being Cool?

    So we are not even truly into summer here and the temperatures are already reaching the high nineties.  These kinds of temperatures make me glad for the nigh on daily thunderstorms that pop up in the area. Each afternoon, the winds grow stronger, the clouds thicker and the thunder rolls.  More oft than not, it does not rain on us but our neighbors just north of us receive the brunt of the flooding.  We just get the cooling breezes and lots of lightning.  Still, it is nice.  That break in the heat sure does wonders for the body and mind.  After a morning of working in the garden or jelly-making in the hot kitchen, it is nice to relax under heavily clouded skies.

  Obviously, I am not the only one enjoying a break in the heat.  Early today, I heard the usual screams of the ospreys as they were out hunting.  I figured since it was too hot to work, I would meander down to the pier and check the birds.  In a tall pine right next to the pier, a handsome male osprey screamed his loudest.  As I drew near, he quietened and just stared at me.  These birds are majestically beautiful and always enthrall me.  I sat on the old board path and watched the guy for a while.  I was thankful to be sitting in the shade but the bird was not so lucky.  His perch in the top of the pine did nothing to block the sun. Poor bird.  After short time, I noticed that he opened his mouth and literally stuck out his tongue!  Hmmm...was he just being rude to me or was this some cooling method?  A few moments later, my question was answered.  The bird was not being ugly at all.  This was a way for him to cool his body.  He ruffled his feathers which allowed the slight breeze to aid in cooling but it was that mouth agape bit that tickled me.  

  The opening of the mouth is definitely a cooling method for some birds. It can sort of be compared to a dog panting.  Heat is transferred from the inside of the mouth and cooling air drops the bird's temperature.  And....yep, I tried it.  It works!  Although it may make you look a tad strange, opening the mouth does indeed make you cooler!  I do not recommend you go around all day with your mouth open but at least it gives you an idea of what the bird is doing.  Birds are obviously pretty smart critters.  They know how to beat the heat!