Desert Birds

There are various types of desert birds. These birds live in harsh conditions in the many deserts found across the globe. On average, these regions have high temperatures, extremely little water and scanty food supply. Therefore, they have evolved a number of features that enable them to survive such testing times.
Major adaptations include:

Water preserving (conservation): A lot of desert-dwelling feathered creatures are good at saving water. Some feed on their prey’s body fluids while others can drink salty water which is toxic to other animals.

Heat regulation: There are several ways that desert birds keep their bodies’ temperature within limits. For instance, some prefer to be active during twilight hours when it is cooler thereby avoiding extreme temperatures during the middle of the day (known as crepuscular behaviour). Others possess special feathers or habits that assist in reflecting sunlight away and reducing heat absorption.

Feeding tactics: Since food is limited, these birds use different feeding methods so as to best utilize the available resources. Some eat both plants and small insects while others may specialize on particular type of ants, seeds etc What strategy they adopt hinges on which part of the world they inhabit.

Habits of nesting: To protect their young ones from this extreme environment desert birds resort to peculiar breeding habits. A few species make burrows below ground for breeding purposes and others seek refuge under cacti or rocky outcrops so as not to expose their offspring to heat and enemies.