An open beak question

[goosey]

In the garden the teperatures have reached over 30 degrees for 4 or 5 days now (it's a sun trap, it's about 27 deg in the area though), but what has attracted my attention is the birds in the garden all seem to be resting or walking with their beaks open. This makes them look a bit dopey but I was wondering if it is some sort of cooling mechanism?

[ericrovve]

They sort of pant with their mouths open. Do it when thirsty too.

[goosey]

Originally Posted by ericrovve

They sort of pant with their mouths open. Do it when thirsty too.

Thats right now I come to think of it - it was a sort of panting.
The starlings always seem thirsty and are always bathing, they take it in turns and get really impatient waiting for the bathing bird to get out of the bath.

[frostfire]

Originally Posted by goosey

This makes them look a bit dopey but I was wondering if it is some sort of cooling mechanism?

Yes, bird species pant when hot because they lack sweat glands, so they can't cool down cutaneously. When a bird is hyperthermic he has to increase his breathing over the evaporative parts in his breathing system, mouth and pharynx and at the same time not let the carbon levels in the blood drop, something that normally happens during an increased inhaling.
So their breathing system also functions as a thermoregulator and a gas exchanger. Quite clever really!

~*~Frostfire~*~

[Ákos]

I note this beahvior quite often during the hot summer months around home in western Sydney. Temperatures get rather hot into the high 30s many times and that is exactly what a lot of birds do, mostly see introduced species doing this, the Aussie natives are smarter and seek shelter in the shade of tree foliage.