How Do Cardinals Survive the Winter?
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- Опубликовано: 12 мар 2023
- When it's so cold outside, how can Northern Cardinals survive? Let's learn about these colorful birds! Please subscribe to continue learning what makes life AWESOME: BioBush.tv/subscribe
We cover three main strategies. First, Cardinals are able to store fat for the winter. This gives them energy to fuel their metabolism through the times when food is harder to find. Second, they can fluff up their feathers to create an insulating layer of warm air (much like me wearing a coat). Third, Cardinals become less territorial in the winter. This lets them spend less energy fighting and more energy searching for food. They sometimes even roost together with other Cardinals, which keeps them all a little warmer.
I hope this gives you an appreciation for how such tiny birds can thrive in such harsh conditions!
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Photo "Cardinal Day at the feeder" by jeffreyw, via Flickr (www.flickr.com/photos/jeffrey.... Used under Creative Commons cc-by 2.0.
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Thanks for watching! You're awesome!
I actually just Googled why Cardinals love the cold & found this because we always feed our fine feathered friends in the winter & noticed ther have been dozens at the feeder the past few days with temps in the teens(F) & now that it’s above freezing there are hardly any. It’s like they thrive on colder temps. It amazes me how hardy they are.
I just started feeding the birds and have a pair of Cardinals who come daily. They are so fun to watch. I've named them Ozzy and Sharon.
Nice information....I will also start shivering in winter now to generate more heat!❄️
Here we are just a couple weeks later and it's already starting to warm up. We can take a break from shivering for a while. :) Nice to hear from you, Bharat!
If you're feeding, I have found they much prefer Peanuts over Sunflower Seeds. I feed both. Almost all birds go for the peanuts. Not rare to see 10 Cardinal pairs or more.
Being a California native, I have had little interaction with cardinals, so when I went birding in the Midwest, I was shocked by their very tiny sound. My grandparents’ backyard was dominated by (what are now) California Scrub-Jays (formerly Western Scrub-Jays for folks in places without them), and they are very, very loud. They also had Steller’s Jays and-during the summer-Anna’s Hummingbirds in spades. I absolutely adore how pugnacious Anna’s are!
Interesting! I haven't heard a California Scrub Jay (to my knowledge at least - I studied fish when I lived in California). I have a Cardinal and a White-crowned Sparrow calling in my yard right now. It's nice background bird sounds. Hummingbirds are starting to arrive up here now, so looking forward to seeing them! Thanks for watching, Mary Rose!
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The California Scrub-Jay was the Western Scrub-Jay but was renamed when the Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay was split from it. The WOSJ is found in the Sierra and-here’s the kicker-it’s relatively timid.
What I always wondered about is how birds get water in the cold when everything is frozen solid for a month straight? I put fresh water out for birds everyday, and of course seeds no
Hi Joe! What an interesting question. I looked it up, and they get water from their food, and they can also eat snow to melt it. It's nice of you to provide helpful resources when the birds need it most. Thanks for watching!
@@BioBush it has to be rough when it's been well below freezing and completely dry with no snow on the ground, they are survivers for sure, I'll put water out several times a day since it takes about a hour to freeze in January, February
This was a really cool video Steve, cardinals are absolutely among the most iconic birds in North America and they are a species that deserves more appreciation despite how common they are. I enjoyed the education and you explained their adaptations well, Evan and I want to make more videos that answer cool scientific questions like you did here, so I appreciate the inspiration!
Thank you, Harrison and Evan! It's funny, because I was inspired to get outside by on-location videos like you do. Maybe we can meet somewhere in the middle. :)
I have some cardinals and blue jays that hang out in my backyard in the warmer months but I never spot them in winter time?? Where do they go?
Hi Doe Eyes! They're probably not far. Both species are "sedentary", meaning they don't migrate. Maybe someone else has a food source or shelter the birds use in the winter, then they come back to your area when it's warm. Also, birds don't read our textbooks about what they "should" do, so maybe your Blue Jays and Cardinals DO migrate. :) Thanks for watching!
Neither species migrate & if you want more Blue Jays just put out some UNsalted peanuts,they absolutely love them!!
Thanks for both responses. I actually recently spotted a cardinal when walking my dog. But not at my home. Im gna leave out some peanuts and see what happens.
Card inals
It’s pronounced cardnal