Tiny radio transmitters reveal a hidden survival tactic in birds
6 hours ago
- White-backed swallows in Sturt National Park use deep torpor to survive extreme temperature swings from freezing to nearly 50°C.
- A new study using miniature temperature-sensing transmitters found these birds can enter deep and long torpor, exceeding previous assumptions for passerine birds.
- This discovery suggests torpor may be a more widespread adaptation among birds than previously thought.
- Biologging technology is enabling scientists to study animals in the wild, challenging old lab-based assumptions and revealing new survival strategies.