Aegithalos caudatus Eating Frozen Maple Syrup | Long-tailed Tit

This is a long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus) attempting to take a bite from an icicle formed from the sap of a painted maple tree (Acer pictum). During winter months, small birds like this make use of this calorie-rich food source (essentially frozen maple syrup) to fuel their high metabolisms. The birds often need to hover in front of icicles, but in this instance, there was a convenient perch. In the end, the icicle proved too thick for the bird to be able break off a piece with its small mouth.

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Filename: long-tailed-tit-aegithalos-caudatus-202002-08085.tif
Copyright: Copyright Tony Wu. All rights reserved. No duplication, reproduction or usage without prior written permission.
Image Size: 7161x4774 / 98.0MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license#rm; https://www.tony-wu.com/contact-tony-wu; Bird Animalia Chordata Aves Passeriformes Aegithalidae Aegithalos caudatus Long-tailed Bushtit Long-tailed Tit Silver-throated Dasher Shima Enaga Silver-throated Tit Pacific Japan Hokkaido
Contained in galleries: Japan

This is a long-tailed tit (Aegithalos caudatus) attempting to take a bite from an icicle formed from the sap of a painted maple tree (Acer pictum). During winter months, small birds like this make use of this calorie-rich food source (essentially frozen maple syrup) to fuel their high metabolisms. The birds often need to hover in front of icicles, but in this instance, there was a convenient perch. In the end, the icicle proved too thick for the bird to be able break off a piece with its small mouth.