Hello everyone! In the cold winter, if you’re someone who hates leaving the warmth of your blanket, how about considering becoming a Common Poorwill if you were to be reborn as a bird? Interestingly, this bird hibernates!
It’s well-known that reptiles and amphibians, as well as mammals like bears, hibernate during winter. However, the only known bird species to hibernate so far is the Common Poorwill. Surprising, isn’t it?
This small bird, inhabiting the dry areas of the Midwestern United States, has a body length of about 20 cm. It’s nocturnal, feeding on insects like moths and grasshoppers. As winter approaches, it hides in crevices of rocks and lowers its body temperature to 18-20°C, entering a long hibernation for about three months!
Other birds also engage in “diurnal torpor,” a short-term hibernation. Hummingbirds, swifts, and mousebirds are known to rest for a night or several days.
The Common Poorwill has a plain appearance, which serves as a significant defense in nature. Its protective coloration helps it blend into its surroundings, making it nearly invisible during the day. Additionally, laying eggs on the ground is a unique characteristic. The Common Poorwill defends itself from predators by opening its mouth wide and making intimidating sounds. Its unusually large mouth for a bird is an evolutionary adaptation for easier insect predation.
Have you heard the name “Common Poorwill” somewhere? Indeed, the “nightjar” in Kenji Miyazawa’s “Night on the Galactic Railroad” is based on the nightjar species, to which the Common Poorwill also belongs, closely related to the nightjars found in Japan.
The hibernating Common Poorwill has a special skill to smartly survive the cold winter. Hibernation is typically observed in mammals and reptiles, but this bird is an exception. Being a homeothermic animal, it uses hibernation to save energy and endure the harsh season.
The Common Poorwill, like many creatures in the natural world, holds many yet-to-be-discovered wonders.
