Thanks Kevin for the details of amounts of weight the birds put on migration.
As for today's Hermit Thrush being cold to look plump, it was not definitely cold. I know they do fluff their feathers even when they are alarmed, bird was feeding normally. It may not have been the fat, it just looked plump. Meena Meena Haribal Boyce Thompson Institute Ithaca NY 14850 Phone 607-254-1258 http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ http://haribal.org/ http://haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdf<http://www.geocities.com/asiootusloe/http:/www.geocities.com/asiootusloe/mothsofithaca.htmlhttp:/haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdf> From: bounce-38173255-3493...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-38173255-3493...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Kevin J. McGowan Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 3:40 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: RE:[cayugabirds-l] Mundy on Wednesday lunch time Migrating birds put on huge amounts of fat. The weights of Hermit Thrushes skinned here at Cornell range from 23 g to 37 g, about the same as the other thrush species. The 14 g difference is likely a difference in accumulated fat. For Swainson's Thrush the range is 23 to 45 g, nearly a doubling in weight. But, it is impossible to tell how fat a bird is by looking at it in the field. The feathers completely cover up any indication of fat or thin. A bird that looks fat is just cold. Kevin From: bounce-38173077-3493...@list.cornell.edu [mailto:bounce-38173077-3493...@list.cornell.edu] On Behalf Of Meena Haribal Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 3:13 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Mundy on Wednesday lunch time On my route through my regular Mundy walk, I came across a smart looking, fresh plumaged Eastern phoebe calling, a plump Hermit thrush in the undergrowth trying to put on more weight, several Yellow-rumped warblers. No OCWA for me, I was hoping to find one. I was wondering how much weight they can put on before it becomes impossible to fly and have to come down to ground as they are too fat. Meena Meena Haribal Boyce Thompson Institute Ithaca NY 14850 Phone 607-254-1258 http://meenaharibal.blogspot.com/ http://haribal.org/ http://haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdf<http://www.geocities.com/asiootusloe/http:/www.geocities.com/asiootusloe/mothsofithaca.htmlhttp:/haribal.wikispaces.com/space/showimage/wildwest+trip+August+2007+.pdf> -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
