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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Crete's reclining barn swallows (3 Viewers)

Alan Hargrave said:
Thanks to everyone and their contributions on English language, vocabulary and grammar! My sentiments are with Graham #9 - I think they were just resting up on a stinking hot afternoon, but I just had to stay around long enough to see them fly away - or drop off the ledge!!
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I don't think I can agree. If a swallow wants to rest, it seems to do so well sitting on a wire, and that would be a lot cooler than where these were. Especially on a "stinking hot afternoon", every swallow of its right mind would seek shade or at least a breeze, unless there is a good reason for going for the heat. I still believe that reason to be parasite control.

Niels
 
njlarsen said:
I don't think I can agree. If a swallow wants to rest, it seems to do so well sitting on a wire, and that would be a lot cooler than where these were. Especially on a "stinking hot afternoon", every swallow of its right mind would seek shade or at least a breeze, unless there is a good reason for going for the heat. I still believe that reason to be parasite control.

Niels
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To be serious. I agree to a point. This is classic "sunning" behaviour. Though other reasons may exist for this behaviour. See "potted" link...

http://birding.about.com/od/birdbehavior/a/Bird-Sunning.htm

If I were a Swallow, or House Martin? Feathers shielding my skin from the Sun? I'd like, on occasion, to expose my skin, between the shafts, to Solar Radiation. This, as it does in us, assists the production of necessary Vitamin D.

Good for general health and well-being. But, boy! It makes you feel a whole lot happier! ;)


http://www.vitamind3-cholecalciferol.com/vitamin-d-benefits.htm
 
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I was in Create last summer (cracking Golden eagle sighting even my wife was impressed)

The swallow behavior might explain all those little towels we used to find on the balcony first thing on a morning.

on a serios note though, I think I have only seen Blackbirds do it in the Uk.
they look almost dead as they lay out in the sun with wings out.

Steve
 
I believe they were sunning, as others have said. Here in Missouri I often see American Robins, Blue Jays, Mourning Doves and Northern Cardinals exhibiting this behavior. They generally lie on their side and slightly fluff their plumage. They also extend their "sun-ward" wing slightly. Apparently this allows the sun's rays to filter through the feathers and penetrate to their skin. Possibly this is helpful for parasite control, skin conditioning and perhaps "it just feels good" to them!
 
About the feel good side: I think mostly evolution works on making us feel good doing things that are good for us, such as sunning. So even if the underlying reason that evolution selected in favor of sunning is parasite control or vitamin D or something else, I would fully expect that the individual that does it would feel good too ;)

Now why that does not work with me going out running, I don't know :-C

Niels
 
njlarsen said:
About the feel good side: I think mostly evolution works on making us feel good doing things that are good for us, such as sunning. So even if the underlying reason that evolution selected in favor of sunning is parasite control or vitamin D or something else, I would fully expect that the individual that does it would feel good too ;)

Now why that does not work with me going out running, I don't know :-C

Niels
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Because, biologically, we're still stone-age subsistence hunter/gatherers - and one of the primary survival strategies to such a life-style is to conserve energy, as much as possible. Hence, the tremendous popularity of easy chairs and couches. (I run, but I also spend time lying around, eating croissants and reading the paper - no question as to which I prefer!)
 
Some ground-breaking Science on this thread! I am convinced by the latest theories here!
"Blobbing out" and "lolling about in the Sun" are definitely the way forward! ;):t:
 
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