J.R. Johnson

It’s cold here today, the temperature almost 20C/35F lower than it was before a storm came through and left a thick coating of lovely but frigid snow.

Which got me thinking, and not for the first time: How do birds stay warm?

Here’s a short explainer article with a helpful video of chickadees, cardinals, jays and other birds (some in dramatic slo-mo!): 

How Birds Stay Warm in the Winter Snow: Backyard Birds Revealed | All About Birds

Some of the survival tricks captured in this episode include: “drinking” snow on icy days; an ingenious solution to the problem of cold feet; and the incredible warmth of a fluffy coat of feathers.

Now I’m off to refill my bird feeder and top up the bird bath. Because it’s cold!

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