Photo: Sebastià Torrens. Question marks: Aina Bonner

Challenge 3

As you know, within mammals (Class Mammalia), a group of warm-blooded vertebrates, there are a number of species that can temporarily fall into a state of lethargy. An example, the bears; another, the bats.

In general, in many taxonomic Mammalian groups, some subgroups, or some species may fall into lethargy and others not. For example, among insectivores (Eulipotyphla), one of the differences between white-toothed shrews (crocidurines) and red-toothed shrews (soricines) is that the former can become lethargic when it’s cold or when they don’t have enough food. The second ones, no.

What happens within the other Class of warm-blooded vertebrates, the birds (Class Aves)?: Are there birds that can fall into a state of lethargy? Which ones? (… if any)