While spring may fast be approaching, do you ever wonder how birds cope during winter?
Limited sources of food
Most birds eat as much as they can during the fall to increase their weight so they survive in winter when food is scarce. Just like squirrels, many bird species eat berries, seeds and insects hiding in bark. Food sustains them and enables them to generate metabolic heat. Feeders provide an excellent supplement to food provided by native plants.
What else do they do to survive the cold?
Evolutionary strategies, in addition to food, include feathers, huddling, shivering, and sheltering.
A few months ago, I saw a fat round sparrow sitting on our dog fence. I worried it might be sick. Feathers, however, offer great insulation. Many birds puff up their feathers to trap warm air around their bodies.
Under extreme conditions, certain birds may briefly lower their metabolism, called torpor, but this makes them more vulnerable to predators.
A red-bellied woodpecker fluffs her feathers.
Photo courtesy of Courtney Celley, USFWS.
Continue reading How Do Birds Stay Warm in Winter?
