Summer has officially begun and the temperature will be soaring into the mid to high 90s all week! For most of us that means turning on the AC, but did you ever wonder how birds stay cool in hot weather?

Just like dogs, one way birds stay cool is by panting. When birds and dogs pant, air moves across the moist surfaces of their lungs, throat and mouth. This causes warm moisture to evaporate away from their bodies, allowing them to stay cooler. Unlike humans, birds and dogs don’t have sweat glands.

Birds also seek out shady areas to stay cool. During hot periods, birds spend more time resting in the shade and less time flying, singing or eating. If there are cool breezes, birds may fluff up their feathers or flutter their wings to allow the air to reach their skin. They may also hold their wings away from their bodies to lower their body temperature. Birds also cool themselves by taking dirt baths.
And, speaking of baths, the best way for birds to stay cool is by splashing around in a cool puddle of water or birdbath! By providing your birds with a birdbath, you are not only helping them stay hydrated with drinking water, but with water to bathe in. Birds will walk through the bath to cool their bodies or sink into the water and shake it all over their feathers. The depth of the bath should be no deeper than 1- 2 inches to accommodate both large and small birds.
Birds are attracted to moving water and you may find more birds dropping by for a drink or a dip if your birdbath has moving water. Dee from the Sudbury store took this photo of a Tufted Titmouse at her Renaissance Birdbath with a remote-controlled fountain that creates moving water. We sell this bath at both our Sudbury and Woburn stores. We also sell Water Wigglers and Drip or Misters that create continuous movement in the water.

Remember to keep your birdbath water clean and fresh and you should be rewarded with lots of visits from your neighborhood birds!