Woodstock and Snoopy on windy day ©Schultz

Have you been able to go birdwatching, or watch birds outside your window on a windy day?

• Do they look different?
• Do they behave differently?
• How did Woodstock act in the cartoon above?

Birds may be small or large, but most of them do not weigh very much. When it is windy, they can be affected quite a bit. Sometimes they really struggle to fly straight. They may appear to be flying sideways.

Also, many of them get their “feathers ruffled.” That can be a sight to see. We are not talking about when people get their “feathers ruffled.” Watching the birds in wind is probably where that saying came from.

“A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, But the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.” (Proverbs 15:1-2 NKJV)

Here are some birds that were trying to deal with a windy day:

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) In The Wind ©Flickr Andrea Westmoreland

Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) In Winter Wind©PD

Canada Goose ruffled by a gust of wind ©WikiC

Now this Swan actually had its feathers ruffled because it was upset. They were mowing the grass along the water and it followed the man mowing the grass with this irritated posture.

Swan at Bok Tower by Lee

How do we react when things get us upset?

Wordless Woodpecker