Some like it hot ? hummingbirds making use of hotsprings in Chilean Patagonia (Neornithes, Apodiformes, Trochilidae)
Author
Schlatter, RobertoHausserman, Vreni
Forsterra-Schaal, Gunter
Abstract
With a wide latitudinal (Chile, Argentina: ~28-56°S)
and altitudinal (0-2000 m) distribution range, the greenbacked fire crown Sephanoides sephaniodes (Lesson, 1826)
represents the southernmost hummingbird species of
the world. Recently an amplification of its distribution
in Argentina has been reported which is probably due
to its plasticity in the use of different habitats as well as
its use of flowers and tiny insects as food source
(Ma...
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With a wide latitudinal (Chile, Argentina: ~28-56°S)
and altitudinal (0-2000 m) distribution range, the greenbacked fire crown Sephanoides sephaniodes (Lesson, 1826)
represents the southernmost hummingbird species of
the world. Recently an amplification of its distribution
in Argentina has been reported which is probably due
to its plasticity in the use of different habitats as well as
its use of flowers and tiny insects as food source
(Marinero et al. 2012). The species can be found in forests
and different open environments including urban areas.
A. Bräuning and M. Könnecke have observed approx. 10 hummingbirds bathing in a hot river in a half
open environment in Northern Chile, at the Socos hot
springs (30.732234 °S, 71.493837 °W), close to Ovalle,
during a cold winter morning around 9 a.m. on August
15, 2008 during 16 minutes (Fig. 1). The birds were sitting in the hand warm river for up to approx. one
minute, shooing each other out of the water to enter the
river again a short time later. Between baths they were
resting on the branches of a fallen dead tree, on rocks
and on a fence next to the river. They had been already
bathing before and kept bathing after the observation.
V. Häussermann and G. Försterra have seen three birds
of the same species bathing in a small, shallow, hand
warm pool which is part of the hot Porcelana river (up
to 62 °C) in the Valdivian rain forest in Comau Fjord,
Chilean Patagonia (42.458222°S, 72.466080°W) in late
April 2004 (autumn), during the late afternoon (approx.
6 p.m.). Between baths the birds have been resting on
the trees above the hot springs.
Due to its small size but proportionally major exposed body surface this hummingbird species loses
major amounts of heat, and also dehydrates fast, especially during the night or during periods without food
or water intake (Hartmann Bakken & Sabat 2007). During night time its body temperature drops from nearly
40 °C to 18-20 °C (Hainsworth & Wolf 1972). The consumption of cold liquid food, typical for humming birds
and practically all other nectarivorous birds, also has
high energetic costs (Lotz et al. 2003). The bath in hot
springs could help the birds to warm up and save energy during times of lower environmental temperatures.
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Date de publicación
2015Journal title
Spixiana (MÜNCHEN)
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