Winter Birding!

​When thinking about birds for the winter, we are often reminded of migration and tend to overlook the birds that stay active and fed during the harsher months of the year. There are quite a few of year round bird species who have no need to travel south and continue to live their lives in Massachusetts and other northern areas undisturbed. We also often assume that migration is the movement of animals to warmer climates, but it is actually the movement of animals following their food sources.

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Many times, warmer climates provide food sources that are unavailable for birds (and other animals) during cooler months. Species that have a broader diet are going to be able to find food more easily as temperatures and availability change. That being said, there are some animals that are in a constant state of migration! Animals like whiles are always on the move following their food source and continually migrating, but today, we will explore a little bit about some of the birds that are seemingly undisturbed in the winter here in Massachusetts.

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Activity certainly slows down during the winter months, but if you know where to look and what to look for, you will find that some animals are still up and about continuing with their daily routines. Of course, the animal we are focusing on right now is birds! Not all birds stay in MA for the winter, but quite a few do and we are going to explore why they are able to do this!

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Our investigation will start with the physical adaptations that allow birds to stay, or the traits that they have that are part of their bodies that allow them to survive throughout the winter.

​Birds are Endothermic!

​Endothermic animals are animals that are able to produce their own body heat and maintain the same temperature all year round. Birds and mammals are the only endothermic groups of animals, which is why they tend to be the most active during cooler weather conditions. This is also why when humans, or our furry friends (dogs, cats, etc.), go to the doctor’s office, it is important to take our temperatures and make sure we are staying the same temperature! The ability to produce their own body heat is key when being able to stay active in the cold.
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 Feather Structure!

​Birds have multiple layers of feathers. The outermost layer are flight feathers and protective feathers that keep water and moisture from getting to their skin. The layer of feathers underneath this protective layer are called down feathers and help to trap body heat! Many humans steal this specific adaptation in the form of down jackets, which we wear during the winter to trap our body heat. Birds that spend more time in harsher, cooler conditions will have thicker down feathers and a stronger protective layer. Ducks and Geese, who spend much of their lives in the water, will have extremely fluffy down feathers as well as almost an armor of more structured feathers surrounding them.

Outer, protective feather

Close-up of fluffy structure of down feathers, ideal for trapping heat

​Beak Structure!

The birds that stay active in cooler climates during the winter have beaks that allow them to forage for a variety of different food sources, or the ability to eat food that is available in the winter. One bird I often think of when I consider beak structure is the hummingbird! Hummingbirds will definitely travel south for the winter because they need to get their food from flowers. Their beaks are such a shape, that it is impossible for them to consume food besides nectar. If we think about where flowers will be available, it is in climates that stay warm. This is probably why people think of migration as moving to warmer climates, not following food.

​Tufted Titmice, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Chickadees, and Dark-Eyed Juncos are just some of the birds that stick around in the winter and they can all be seen visiting backyard bird feeders! They have beaks that allow them to eat different seeds and nuts especially the ones put out by humans in the winter!

Cardinal with triangular beak shape great for cracking hard outer shells of seeds available in the winter

Hummingbird with long beak suited only for collecting nectar from flowers

Some birds have the ability to go into a state of torpor on very cold days, but birds are not able to do this for as long as mammals. Torpor is essentially a mini state of hibernation where breathing slows, blood pressure slows and body temperature decreases. The only bird that is known to do this for extended amounts of time is the Common Poorwill, which is not a Massachusetts native and can stay in a state of torpor for weeks!
 
If you are looking for ways to attract common winter birds to your yard, just grab some bird seed and spread it on the ground! If you are looking for a more crafty way to attract birds to a specific location (possibly outside a window) you can find some kind of vessel, I like to use empty toilet paper or paper towel rolls, and put a string through them to hang. You can then cover the roll with peanut butter and sticks seeds to the outside! When watching birds this winter, try to identify some of their adaptations that allow them to stay active!