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Living NATURE NEWS

Long Winter’s Nap

PHOTO COURTESY ADAM OZMENT / UT INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE

Many area animals to enter hibernation for winter, dealing with the season by turning down metabolism

STORY BY ASHLEIGH NEWNES

EVERYONE KNOWS THAT SOME ANIMALS

go into hibernation over the winter months, but what does that really mean?

As I write this, the grass is defrosting in my front yard and there is a log crackling on the fi re. We humans cope with the cold of winter by adding extra layers of clothing, drinking hot beverages and staying close to the fi re. Animals? They have different means of coping with winter. Some leave and travel to warmer climates while others have the means to stick it out through the winter foraging and hunting, and some hibernate.

Hibernation is a way for many creatures to survive cold dark winters without having to forage for food or migrate to somewhere warmer. Instead they turn down their metabolisms to save energy. Hibernation is for those who stick around.

THE PROCESS

In the summer and fall, mammals feed heavily, building their fat reserves to see them through the winter. Depending on the species, hibernation can vary from long deep unconsciousness to light spells of inactivity. The hibernator’s metabolism slows and its temperature plunges. Breathing slows; a bat’s heart rate can fall from 400 to 11 beats per minute. Some cold-blooded creatures such as frogs produce natural antifreeze to survive being frozen solid.

In Tennessee, bears, groundhogs and bats are some examples of creatures that hibernate, while deer and coyote are still active all winter long, hunting and foraging where they can.

THE DANGERS

When I think of hibernation, the image that comes to mind is a cozy creature taking a long nap protected from the harsh realities of winter. While some of that image is based in truth, the reality is that hibernation is extremely risky for the animal. If a predator fi nds a dormant animal, they have no means of protecting themselves and will lose. Even if the animals wake up, they will not have the energy to win the battle.

Some insects, such as butterfl ies, ladybirds and bees, over-winter in the adult state. Adult insects are liable to be roused on unseasonably sunny days. This won’t necessarily harm the insect directly, but the energy expended in fl ying about and looking for a new hibernation site might cause stress later on as they run out of fat reserves and die before the spring comes.

Due to climate change and fl uctuating temperatures fewer and fewer animals are surviving hibernation. The sporadic warmer days in the early spring cause hibernators to emerge too early. They exit hibernation while their fat reserves are seriously depleted and before there is enough food to sustain them in the environment, leading to death. A study on 14 species of North American hibernators showed that, for every 1ºC rise in annual temperature, hibernation was on average 8.6 days shorter and survival was hit, too—down by 5.1% for every degree of warming.

HELP FOR HIBERNATORS

Winter can be harsh for many of us and we all enjoy it when someone crochets us a new blanket for our bed, or makes us a hot beverage. Let’s do the same for the creatures. Consider leaving bird seed out for the birds, or breaking ice so the animals who do not hibernate have access to water and food. As far as the hibernating animals in your area, leave a part of your garden wild so they have safe places to nest. If you are planning to burn a brush pile that has been sitting for a while, check for nests that could be in the ground under the branches.

Make a Fun Holiday Tradition With a Christmas Bird Count

BIRDS ARE CONSIDERED A UNIVERSAL SYM-

BOL of happiness and joy by many cultures. Birds are often represented as messengers of love or harbingers of good things to come.

For many of us, our backyard birds are part of our holiday tradition. Have you ever noticed that you make a special effort to make sure that your feeders are topped off and ready for each family gathering? Have you noticed that every year, all your friends and relatives make comments about how much they enjoy your special yard? Yes, birds are already part of your family’s traditions and holiday memories.

A great new tradition to start would be to gather the family and participate in Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count. Christmas Bird Counts are annual, early-winter bird counts sponsored by the National Audubon Society. This 123-year tradition (yes, since 1900!) provides beginners and experts alike with the chance to enjoy beautiful natural areas while watching and counting birds.

“These counts are very valuable,” said Jeff Royer, coowner of the Murfreesboro Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop. “They provide insights into the long-term health of bird populations and the environment.”

Or consider the Scandinavian holiday tradition of feeding the birds on Christmas Day. Maybe it’s a holiday wreath made of edible seeds, fruit and suet, or simply a heap of seeds placed on your doorstep. For a simple and festive adaptation of this tradition, hang a Wild Birds Unlimited Seed Cylinder character like Preston the Penguin or Buttons the Snowman from your porch. Folklore has it that when you attract birds to this offering, it will ensure good luck for your family in the new year.

As we celebrate this special season, the Wild Birds Unlimited team encourages the community to bring nature home for the holidays. The store specializes in bringing people and nature together with bird feeding and nature products, expert advice and educational events.

For more information on the Christmas Bird Count, and on Wild Birds Unlimited products and local details, visit wbu.com/murfreesboro.