A small bird was spotted panting in the heat (Picture: Aaron Stewart-Ahn/Twitter)

The heatwave affects us all, but is particularly dangerous for the elderly, young children, and our beloved pets.

With the mercury rising to 32°C today and up to 37°C by Thursday, Public Health England has issued a warning and advice for people to keep cool.

England’s chief nurse urged people to check on their neighbours during the heatwave while the Dog’s Trust set out guidelines for pet owners going for walks in the sizzling heat.

But wildlife is just as affected by the unusual temperatures the UK will experience this week.


Met Office forecasters predict a high of 32°C for parts of England today which could mean the mercury will not dip below 25°C overnight tonight – which would be the hottest night on record.



And if the temperature does rise as high as 37°C later this week, it will beat the hottest July day recorded of 36.7°C at Heathrow Airport on July 1, 2015.

Dogs and humans can overheat easily – and wildlife is just as vulnerable (Picture: PA)

Birds naturally have higher body temperatures than many other creatures at around 40°C and have naturally evolved to keep themselves from overheating.

But across the pond in New York City – which is also experiencing extreme temperatures in a heatwave of its own – a small bird was spotted ‘panting’ with its beak open.

Screenwriter Aaron Stewart-Ahn tweeted a picture of the bird struggling to find water.

Just like dogs, wild birds will open their bills and pant to help dissipate heat on a hot day.

As they get hotter, their panting may increase in speed, or they may open their bills even further for greater cooling.

One of the saddest things in NYC heatwave right now (other than me wearing tank tops outside of home) is seeing every small bird panting with their mouths open desperate to find water to drink pic.twitter.com/zcQVz61M8e — Aaron Stewart-Ahn (@somebadideas) July 21, 2019

With that in mind, people have started leaving bowls of water out in gardens and on the streets for wild birds that may be suffering.

Providing a birdbath filled with clean, fresh water will help birds drink and bathe.

The depth of the basin should be no more than 1-2 inches to accommodate even small bathing birds easily but on very hot days the water may evaporate quickly.

Baths should be regularly filled so birds don’t go without.

And it’s not just official bird baths that the animals will flock to.

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An estate agent working in Holywell, Wales, filmed the moment a pigeon started bathing in a bowl of water left out for dogs.

Palmer’s Estate Agents tweeted: ‘As usual I put a water bowl outside our office in #Holywell for the hot pups, and this is what happened! I think someone needs to learn how to share.’

According to the RSPB, birds need water for two reasons; drinking and bathing.

Unlike mammals, birds don’t have sweat glands, but they still lose a lot of water through respiration and in their droppings in the extreme heat. So it’s crucial they have access to fresh water to rehydrate.

In addition to drinking water, water to bathe in is just as important for birds. Bathing is essential to their daily routine, helping them to keep their feathers in good condition so they remain warm and waterproof.



The sizzling conditions could leave the countryside depleted of its natural water sources, meaning birds will be left desperately searching for alternatives. By leaving out a supply of fresh, clean water, gardens can offer birds with the vital resource they need to survive the arduous conditions.

Charlotte Ambrose, RSPB Wildlife Advisor, said: ‘While we sit back and relax in the outside with an ice-cold drink, generally revelling in unusually sunny weather, our garden birds might not be having such a good time. The hot weather could be causing natural water sources to dry up, meaning our favourite garden birds like robins, blue tits and blackbirds could be left without anything to drink.

‘Turning your outside space into a home for nature by doing simple things like topping up your birdbath, creating a make-shift pond from a washing-up bowl or putting down a saucer filled with water could offer a vital lifeline to some of our much-loved garden birds that are already fighting against declines.’

RSPCA advice for caring for wildlife in the heat Clean water containers daily and dry them before refilling, in order to reduce the risk of spreading disease

Don’t place water dishes for birds too close to bushes and trees, to minimise cats and other predators getting to them

Keep water away from bird feeding areas to avoid fouling

Do not give milk to hedgehogs, only plain, fresh water

Top up water levels of ponds, and provide shaded areas for fish

Search bonfires before burning garden rubbish

Take care when using a lawn mower or strimmer – hedgehogs in long grass may curl up if they feel threatened, and toads tend to squat down instead of running away

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