Songbirds Grow Feather to Cope With Extreme Cold

A saffron finch at a Peruvian National Forest and Wildlife Service shelter in Lima after being rescued from illegal export. MARIANA BAZO/REUTERS
A saffron finch at a Peruvian National Forest and Wildlife Service shelter in Lima after being rescued from illegal export. MARIANA BAZO/REUTERS
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Songbirds Grow Feather to Cope With Extreme Cold

A saffron finch at a Peruvian National Forest and Wildlife Service shelter in Lima after being rescued from illegal export. MARIANA BAZO/REUTERS
A saffron finch at a Peruvian National Forest and Wildlife Service shelter in Lima after being rescued from illegal export. MARIANA BAZO/REUTERS

A study of 250 species of Himalayan songbirds has revealed how their feathers evolved for higher altitudes. The study found birds living in colder, more elevated environments had feathers with more fluffy down - providing them with thicker "jackets," according to BBC. The insight reveals how feathers provide the tiniest birds with such efficient protection from extreme cold. It also provides clues about which species are most at risk from climate change, the scientists say. The findings were published in the journal Ecography.

The study was inspired by a tiny bird lead researcher Dr. Sahas Barve saw during an icy day of fieldwork in the Himalayas, in 2014.

"It was -10C. And there was this little bird, a goldcrest, which weighs about the same as a teaspoon of sugar. It was just zipping around catching bugs," said the researcher from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington DC.

Barve's fingers went numb as he tried to take notes. But he remembers being blown away by the little goldcrest.

"To survive, this bird has to keep its heart at about 40C. So it has to maintain a difference of 50C in that little space," he said.

"I was like, 'OK, I really need to understand how feathers work," he noted.

Fortunately, Barve's home institution has one of the largest bird collections in the world. Examining the feathers of nearly 2,000 individual birds, in microscopic detail, he noticed a pattern linked their structure to their habitat.



Strawberries and Pasta? Iga Swiatek’s Unique Wimbledon Tradition

 Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 5, 2025 Spectator consumes strawberry. (Reuters)
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 5, 2025 Spectator consumes strawberry. (Reuters)
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Strawberries and Pasta? Iga Swiatek’s Unique Wimbledon Tradition

 Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 5, 2025 Spectator consumes strawberry. (Reuters)
Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 5, 2025 Spectator consumes strawberry. (Reuters)

Strawberries hold a special place in Wimbledon tradition. But strawberries and pasta?

Iga Swiatek explained that it's a dish from her native Poland.

"Why is it such a big thing? Everybody should eat that," a smiling Swiatek said after her third-round victory over Danielle Collins on Saturday. "I think in summer kids are eating it a lot. I don’t know. It’s just a perfect mix of tastes."

The All England Club estimates that more than 35 tons of strawberries, usually with cream, are eaten each year during the two-week tournament. Spectators can buy strawberry-inspired merchandise all over the grounds.

The five-time Grand Slam champion mentioned the combination during her on-court interview, urging fans "you should try it guys — pasta, strawberries, a little bit of yogurt." She later posted a photo on her Instagram account that showed a bowl of pasta and strawberries.

A journalist quizzed her about who has better strawberries, Poland or England?

"Honestly, I think Poland," Swiatek said. "Because we have better climate for strawberries, right? Now Wimbledon is probably going to ban me from answering these questions."