THERE ARE HIBERNATING BIRDS

["Darren Naish" <dwn194@soton.ac.uk>]

Matt Fraser wrote:

> Are there any extant species of reptile or, more to the point, bird that
> truly hibernate? 

As discussed on this list way way back, one bird at least is known to definitely
hibernate: the Common poorwill (_Phanaloptilus nuttali_, or something like that)
(older name is Nuttal's whip-poorwill). This is a North American nightjar
(Caprimulgidae). It's easily possible, but as yet unreported, that other
caprimulgids hibernate too.

Further to this, numerous small birds are capable of torpor and a wide variety
do it on a regular basis. Hummingbirds, colies, manakins, swifts etc. all do it
for short periods (e.g. over the length of a single night) to reduce metabolic
costs. It's not as 'deep' as true hibernation of course.

These observations must be extended to dinosaurs with *extreme* caution, if,
preferably, at all.

Back to the ichthyosaurs and hexanchids..

"Han my boy, why did you fry poor Greedo"

DARREN NAISH