I’m talking about the ones that stay in north during winter, not migratory birds. I’ve noticed that birds like sparrows or tits (yes yes i know funny name) look more rotund in fall, but is that actually fatness or just them fluffing up?

  • ChaosCoati
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    10 hours ago

    While it may not put on much in the way of body fat, chickadees’ brains gain weight to remember where they hid all their food for winter. This may apply to tits as well since they’re related but I haven’t seen any studies for them specifically.

  • Uncle@lemmy.ca
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    15 hours ago

    im a bit of a bird nerd here, and while they do put pack a lot in, its not really fat as you and i would think of it. 90% of what you see is just floof to keep warm.

    my b&g macaw will put on a little weight in fall even tho hes a tropical chicken. altho admitly that could just be me feeding him differently/different times, cause of the lack of light through the winter.