Not everyone is a ‘snowbird’: How birds overwinter in Canada
Birds don't have heated housing like we do, but they have their own ways of surviving Canada's winters
Like many Canadians, birds are known to travel south for the winter—seeking warmer temperatures and escaping Canada’s famously cold winters.
In fact, one of the most iconic signs that winter is coming is when we see flocks of geese begin to fly south in their arrow-shaped formations. Bird activity also comes to a lull, as many other migratory species take their leave in favour of warmer climates.
But not all birds leave in the winter. Many birds stay in the same geographic region all year long, such as common ravens and black-capped chickadees. Even many Canada geese will decide to tough out the winter up north rather than fly south!
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In a country where the winters are too cold for even us to stay outside for too long, you may have wondered how birds can tolerate the frigid elements. And where do they go when the snow starts to fall and the elements turn harsh?
The world is their pantry
Many of Canada’s non-migrant birds rely on foraging for seeds and insects to meet their nutritional needs. Those resources, however, are very scarce in the winter—insects are nowhere to be found, and snow covers the seed-laden ground.
Foraging birds, such as chickadees, jays, woodpeckers, and nuthatches, know that food will be scarce over the snowy winter months, so they spend months in advance putting a portion of their daily harvest in various hiding spots so that no other birds will take their food.
Bird feeders are great ways to help birds meet their daily food needs without tapping into their hidden food stashes. Photo taken in Rocky Mountain House, Alta., by Linda/Submitted.
A lot of birds also rely on human-maintained bird feeders to meet their daily food needs without having to tap into their secret stashes, allowing the food to last longer for times of harsher weather.
Birds of prey, such as owls, hawks, and raptors, will also store their food for future use throughout the winter. However, since their meals are much more likely to go bad than seeds and insects, they have to wait until winter to make their provisions—and even then, they are only for short periods.
Birds are their own furnaces
Birds can be very small, and, unlike us, don’t have access to furnaces or fireplaces. They do, however, have the ability to maintain a high core body temperature that, when coupled with their fluffy, insulating feathers, keeps their bodies nice and warm.
But that only works for their feather-covered bodies, leaving their bare legs exposed to the harsh elements—which is especially a problem for aquatic birds such as gulls, geese, and ducks, who spend their time on the icy ground or in cold waters.
Birds puff up to trap more warm air within their insulating feathers to keep warm. Photo taken in Red Deer, Alta., by Roger Steele/Submitted.
In addition to maintaining higher core body temperatures than humans, birds have a unique circulatory system feature called ‘countercurrent heat exchange.’
As the blood circulates into the legs, it cools off to a point where no significant heat is being lost, but the foot isn’t freezing either. Then, as the blood circulates back toward the heart, it passes by arteries that warm the blood back up to its original core temperature.
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Weathering the elements together
When the winds pick up and heavy snow starts to fall, you may notice a sudden lack of birds flitting about. This is likely because they are seeking shelter in tree cavities and brush thickets.
Hiding in the trees and bushes protects them from the harsh winds and helps to keep them warm during prolonged inclement weather. Birdhouses made by humans also provide great shelters for our winged friends.
You may also see some birds huddle together to share warmth when temperatures get especially cold. This strategy also adds extra protection from the elements, similar to what penguins do in Antarctica.
Thumbnail image taken in Morriston, Ont., by Nicole/Submitted.
