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Morning Start: Black-capped chickadees get smarter in the fall

Your morning start for Tuesday, Oct. 12
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Black-capped chickadees get smarter in the fall season. (Veronika Andrews/Pixabay)

Good happy Tuesday, and welcome to the start of your day — and week!

This week will bring cool days and even cooler nights. There aren’t very many sunny days this week, with the autumn glum setting in with cloudy days.

Soak in the sun whenever you can in the next few days.

Fun fact: Black-capped chickadees get smarter in the fall season

The black-capped chickadee gets smarter in the fall season.

But how, exactly? According to Leigh University biological sciences assistant professor Colin Saldanha, this chickadee’s hippocampus — which handles spatial organization and memory — swells to about 30 per cent.

The new nerve cells help the black-capped chickadee to collect and hide massive amounts of seeds, then remember where those food caches are throughout the harsh winter months.

In the spring, when remembering where food caches are, the chickadee’s hippocampus shrinks back to its normal size.

“Our hypothesis is that this exaggerated growth occurs when the birds need it the most — and we’re interested in finding out what exactly triggers it,” Saldanha said.

Here’s your weather

In Kelowna:

KEL

In Penticton:

PEN

In Vernon:

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In Salmon Arm:

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In Revelstoke:

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In case you missed it: Armstrong staff select rainbow crosswalk site

The City of Armstrong is one step closer to having its rainbow crosswalk, after staff found the perfect spot.

The crosswalk will be located right in the heart of the city: right at the Smith Drive tee intersection in front of the city’s welcome sign.

City staff said the location was selected because of its high profile, which they hope will discourage people from vandalizing the sidewalk.

With the increasing cost of paint, staff estimates the cost to complete the sidewalk at $2,500.

Here’s a little video to brighten up your morning:

Here’s a kalimba cover of The Beatles’ Here Comes the Sun, featuring the sweetest music-loving dog.

And that’s it. Have a wonderful Tuesday!


@twilamam
twila.amato@blackpress.ca

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Twila Amato

About the Author: Twila Amato

Twila was a radio reporter based in northern Vancouver Island. She won the Jack Webster Student Journalism Award while at BCIT and received a degree in ancient and modern Greek history from McGill University.
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