Bird and mammal heat exposures (IMAGE)
Caption
Birds and mammals experience different exposures to desert heat. During the day, mammals are underground experiencing cooler temperatures, while birds are exposed to warmer air temperatures, direct radiation from the sun, reflected radiation from the ground and air, and longwave radiation from the ground and air. Birds can escape direct solar radiation in the shade, but not the indirect sources of radiation. At night, both birds and mammals experience longwave radiation from the ground and air, while also losing some heat to the night sky.
Credit
Eric Riddell image
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