Keeping Warm in the Winter

We have had some very chilly temperatures lately. Single digits, and negative wind chill temperatures. Regardless of the weather outside, staff and volunteers still work hard to care for the raptors.

The staff and volunteers bundle up before going outside, but how do raptors keep warm?

Raptors need to conserve their energy as much as possible when it is really cold out. To do this, they “hunker down” as a few like to call it. They are going to stay in one place as much as possible. Flying, hunting and other activities would use more energy. By staying in one place, they can conserve their energy for warmth. This is true for birds in the wild and birds at the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program. That makes sense. When I get cold, I want to bundle up and stay home!!
After this discussion at rounds, I wondered about the migratory birds? There are some raptor species that migrate to warmer places for the winter such as turkey vultures and Swainson’s hawks. How do those species in the RMRP keep warm?
I asked a fellow volunteer about this. The educational ambassadors that live here all year around do very well. They keep warm just like everyone else. When it is really cold outside, volunteers pay special attention to all the birds to make sure they are healthy and happy. The turkey vultures and the Swainson’s hawk that live out at the Environmental Learning Center (ELC) have heated perches. This just gives them that extra boost of warmth just in case.