Mourning Doves have the ability of being able to show how cold it is by how round they become:



This one was sitting in a pine tree behind my house. and based on his roundness, it's pretty cold out there, but there is still room for further expansion. If it hits -40, they sometimes just explode in a cloud of feathers...

[daacon]

<snip> This one was sitting in a pine tree behind my house. and based on his roundness, it's pretty cold out there, but there is still room for further expansion. If it hits -40, they sometimes just explode in a cloud of feathers...

Great capture of a frosty bird there Tom - and if you capture that exploding Dove - you need not worry about the Pentax Gallery - National Geographic will pay big bucks !!! (take a video cam as well!)

[channeler]

Great capture of the dove and cold Tom. Were you in your blind taking this? If so hope you've got a warm drink with you to warm you up - a tot of brandy would be justified I think.

Paul

[Matthew Roberts]

I've seen this effect too, Tom, though I think the doves down here in Texas aren't as cold tolerant, as I've seen some this puffed up when its 20-30F outside.

Great shot!

[Leaf Fan]

There's always doves at our Central Ontario ski chalet, but I've never taken a picture of them, I'll have to try and change that soon. Nice photo Tom, I've seen them do that before. Quite the natural temperature regulators they are....

Well, here's what they have to put up with in terms of temperatures. Not a great photo technically but more for record keeping. I think it was colder than that, but the thermometer wouldn't go any lower.


If anybody ever had a contest for the photo that conveyed the most "coldness" I'd enter this one, but the dove one above (OP) makes me think of cold too.