Cold Weather is Snow Problem for the Birds

By Charlie Ayers, Houston Audubon Coastal Conservation Technician

As we are all huddled up in our houses drinking our coffee, tea or hot chocolate, many of us reading this blog post are probably watching the birds at our feeders stuffing their little beaks full of seeds. This brings questions to mind like “how do the birds stay warm?” and  “will they survive this snowstorm?” Thankfully, the birds are much more well equipped to survive this weather than most Texans are because they have evolved key adaptations to survive the cold.

Birds know when bad weather is on the way because they can sense when the air pressure begins to change and will seek certain microhabitats that help them get through the worst of the storm. Places such as a thick hedge, evergreen tree or thick marsh grass provide shelter from the wind and snow. Birds that live in nest cavities will go find their nearest one and hunker down, making for some fun photo opportunities. If you’re willing to brave the cold, there’s almost nothing cuter than an Eastern Screech-Owl sitting in its home as the snowflakes fall gently on its tufts.

Another way birds survive the cold is through eating fatty, high protein foods. This is where feeders come in handy, as the peanut butter or sunflower seeds we provide give the birds the necessary calories to stay warm. If you keep track of the birds that come to your feeder, I’m sure you will see high counts for many of the regulars like American Goldfinch, White-throated Sparrow and Northern Cardinals. Weather like this can bring unusual birds out to your feeders as well, so be on the lookout for an odd looking sparrow mixed in with the usual suspects.

Birds have evolved to withstand the frigid conditions. Their feathers provide perfect insulation, they basically have built in down jackets. Underneath their pretty contour feathers, birds have down which traps air, holding in warmth and keeping cold air from hitting them. Now, I’m sure you’re wondering, “what about their legs? They don’t have any down.” Birds’ legs are kept warm through counter-current circulation. Birds have cold blood in their feet, so they lose very little heat through them when standing on cold, snow-covered ground.

So, as we all do our best to avoid leaving our houses today,  know that the birds are going to be just fine through it all.