The Ultimate Winter Wildlife Guide: Enjoy and Understand Creatures in the Cold

Is Winter Bird Feeding Good or Bad for Birds?

More than 40 percent of U.S. households feed their backyard birds, and in the United Kingdom, the rate is as high as 75 percent. Despite the widespread popularity of bird feeding, scientists are still building a basic understanding of its impacts.

Ornithologist Joe Smith breaks down the science and how you can most responsibly feed birds this winter. Read more.

Top Winter Wildlife Experiences

A naturalist can find interesting critters at any season, but I’ve always found winter adventures to be some of the best (and most family friendly).

In colder climes, the lack of tree cover and a white snowy backdrop makes finding birds and other wildlife easier – even in cities and suburbs. So pull on some warm clothes, grab your field guide and binoculars, and head outside.

Here are ten of my favorite winter wildlife activities, from birding open water to staking out carcasses.

A Field Guide to Tracking in Your Neighborhood

Tracking is one of the most family-friendly wildlife activities; you can enjoy it anywhere there is a patch of open ground. Kids love deciphering the mysteries of animal tracks. Even my two-year-old son loves checking out the tracks in our yard.

Following tracks is often the best way to learn habits of undisturbed wildlife. And best of all, it’s easy. Here’s a guide to some of the most common tracks you might encounter in the snow in North America. Read more.

Special Birds To Seek in Winter

Winter is not the off-season for birding. Sure, it’s absolutely frigid outside, a meager 20 species is a good day, and by the time January rolls around you never want to see another raft of ducks for as long as you live. (Okay, at least not until next winter.)

But despite the obvious challenges, winter birding is incredibly rewarding. And there are some bird species that you really can only realistically find in winter. Here are ten of them.

You may not have to look far. Many unusual species and rarities show up at bird feeders each winter. Here’s what may show up in your backyard this year.

Enjoy the Hooting Season

Great horned owls are found in farmland, suburbia and even city parks. They’re spectacular birds, and never more so when they’re setting up nesting territories. While their “hooting season” began in November, you can still hear and observe the big owls now. Read more.

Secrets of the Snowy Owl

Every few years, lots of snowy owls show up far south of their Arctic habitats (and this appears to be one of those years). Why do these owls suddenly appear in fields around Idaho, Missouri and Virginia? Research suggests these “invasions” are tied to lemming abundance. Joe Smith considers the science.

Lemmings are interesting in their own right, and the subject of one of the most popular and enduring wildlife myths. Here’s the real story. (Spoiler: They don’t commit suicide).

Of course, researchers are still trying to understand these invasions, and you can help by recording your observations.

How Does Extreme Weather Impact Wildlife?

Many species have evolved adaptations so that they can survive and thrive in the coldest, snowiest conditions. (Here are four of the coolest ways critters get through the winter). Many bird species make use of a variety of shelters – from tree cavities to old shoes – to survive a cold winter’s night, as Joe Smith reports.

There are species, though, that have recently expanded their range due to climate change or other factors. When a cold snap occurs, they’re ill prepared for it.

While it’s difficult to know how this latest bout of frigid weather will impact wildlife in parts of the United States, here are some species that may not fare well.

The Grouse in Winter: Reverse Migrations and Snow Caves

I find the grouse species to be some of the most fascinating creatures in North America, and never more so than winter. The ruffed grouse plunges into fluffy snow, with its body heat creating a snow cave.

The blue grouse actually migrates from low, snow-free elevations to mountains covered with deep snow. Here’s why.

Winter on the Hoof

Winter poses special challenges for hoofed mammals in the Western United States. Many of these species are migratory and have specific habitat needs. Outdoor journalist Kris Millgate breaks down how mule deer, elk, pronghorn and moose cope when the weather outside is frightful.

Humans can help these species by avoiding wintering areas. And there’s another threat emerging: as people move closer to wildlife winter range, deer and elk roam into backyards and eat the landscaping. One plant in particular is deadly to ungulates, last year killing dozens of elk and an unknown number of mule deer in Idaho alone. Here’s how to make sure your landscaping isn’t killing wildlife.

Turtles and Gar on Ice

While some species, from snowy owls to elk, are highly visible in the winter, you are unlikely to see turtles. Unless you look under the ice. Seriously: you might see one swimming by. Learn more about how these reptiles survive the coldest temperatures.

Finally, readers of this blog know I have a special love of gar, the toothy, primitive fish that swam with dinosaurs. It turns out that gar also have some of their own adaptations to survive the winter. Gar expert Solomon David has the details in Gar of Thrones: Winter is Coming.