Our sandpiper is all about #NationalNappingDay 💤 If you visit our Shorebirds Exhibit, you may see sandpipers like this one resting on one leg. This posture helps birds conserve both heat and energy. Birds’ legs have an adaptation called “rete mirabile” that minimizes heat loss. The arteries that transport warm blood into the legs lie in contact with the veins that return colder blood to the bird’s heart. The arteries warm the veins. By standing on one leg, a bird reduces by half the amount of heat lost through unfeathered limbs. — view on Instagram https://ift.tt/39BOvHR