How our wildlife copes with the Big Freeze
As the Big Freeze takes hold - the worst winter I can remember since 1979 - our birds and wildlife are in big trouble. This is NOT, as you might think, simply from the cold, but because of the snow and ice, which covers up their food supplies.
For finding food is the key at this time of year - with only eight hours of daylight, garden birds like the blue tit and robin must east up to 40% of their body weight EVERY SINGLE DAY, just to survive.
That's about 4g for the blue tit and 7g for the robin - which may not sound like much, but is an awful lot of seeds to find for such small birds. That's why feeding your garden birds is so crucial in these freezing conditions - it really will make the difference between life and death for many of them.
Our wildlife has all sorts of strategies to avoid the problems caused by the Big Freeze:
Hibernation: hedgehogs, dormice, bats and many insects have simply gone to sleep, and won't wake up until the spring. In some ways the freeze is good for them - it avoids them emerging too early, as happens on mild winter days in 'normal' winters.
Strength in numbers: birds form larger flocks than usual - it helps them seek out the best places to feed, and also enables to them to huddle together at night to keep warm; so your nestbox may now be home to up to a dozen wrens!
Seeking a new home: many species will radically alter their habits during cold weather - so look out in your gardens for unexpected visitors, including waterbirds such as moorhen, water rail, and snipe, which struggle more than most to find food.
Moving away: have you noticed that many familiar birds have simply disappeared from your area? Lapwings and redwings are especially sensitive to cold weather, and head south and west at the first sign of snow. High altitude birds move down to sea level; while many waterbirds such as the kingfisher head towards the coast, seeking ice-free water where they can feed. And many of our garden birds have already hopped across the Channel to seek warmer climes.
Moving here: these birds are replaced by birds from farther north and east, such as ducks, geese and swans from mainland Europe; these also head south and west, and end up here in the UK, especially on our south-coast estuaries.
And last, but not least, staying put: predators and scavengers, such as raptors, owls and crows, will simply stay where they are and wait for other creatures to weaken or die - easy pickings for them...
In summary, here are this winters likely losers and winners...
LOSERS
Garden birds, especially ground feeders such as the dunnock and thrushes, whose normal food supply is covered with snow.
Small birds which don't normally visit bird tables, such as the stonechat and treecreeper.
Waterbirds, especially smaller, sedentary ones such as the moorhen and kingfisher.
Small mammals: like small birds, voles, shrews and mice lose heat very easily, and need to feed constantly.
WINNERS
Scavengers, such as gulls, crows and buzzards; and of course foxes - there's plenty of dead stuff out there for them to eat (though if it gets covered by snow or frozen this can still cause them problems).
Predators: birds such as the peregrine can easily pick off weakened prey; while foxes take advantage of frozen lakes and ponds to grab roosting ducks.
Birdwatchers! Especially if you live in the south and west, where there may be plenty of new arrivals to look out for - so keep your eyes peeled...
Please tell us about your experiences of our wildlife in the Big Freeze
Stephen Moss is a series producer at the BBC Natural History Unit, with a special interest in British wildlife. He is author of the book Birds and Weather (Hamlyn, 1995).
Comments
My new garden visitor this week, a Blackcap has just today turned into a tiny bullyboy. He's spent most of today chasing off all other birds, including Goldfinches off the nijjer feeders, which he doesn't eat (he's only eating sunflower hearts, fatballs & apple) plus chases the Blackbirds & other ground feeders. Seems like a sheer energy waste on his part as he can only get a feed in about once every 10-15 mins.
There are 14 feeders spread around + ground feed areas for him to patrol but this little Blackcap bully is charging around & shouting & chasing as soon as another bird ventures in. He flies at the birds on the hanging feeders. Normally I've lots of Goldfinches, House Sparrows, Blackbirds, Wood Pigeons and this week other types of bird singletons but they're all scared off by him. I'm thinking dark thoughts about his future, how to discourage him from bullying?
The problem may be solved: this afternoon I moved all the feeders into other positions including remote spots he can't easily see & took away his favourite vantage point (was a horizontal cane support for a couple of feeders) Harmony appears to have been restored as all other birds have called by & had a feed somewhere.
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I live near Wigan and this morning i saw 4 large flocks of geese flying in a northerly direction ,it's been quite a few weeks since we saw so many at one time.Are they coming up here to escape the worst of the weather or migrating out of Britain altogether?It's been milder today and we have seen a bit of a thaw.
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In Milton Keynes the snow has brought in Field Fares to the garden alongside the regular visitors. The regulars are Blackbirds, Starlings, Sparrows, Great & Blue Tits, Gold Finches, Robins, Pigeons, Crows & Magpies.
On the local lake even a Heron was begging for bread alongside the Geese & the Gulls.
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This snow and ice has been here for a month now, and even longer in Scotland. so why has nothing been mentioned on TV about how serious this is for wildlife UNTIL NOW. I have been emailing every news station constantly, but nothing. only a brief mention on BBC News 24 the other day. I kept hoping and willing presenters to "remind viewers to feed the birds" but none of them said anything. Even on The One Show last night, when they had the perfect opportunity as they had a feature on birds with Bill Bailey. Thank goodness you've put this special programme together.
I have been appealing to everyone to feed the birds. I feed the birds year round in my back yard, and have been feeding them even more for the past month. I had a stranger to my yard today - a Grey Wagtail. never had one of those before. I live in a very built up area, and there is no water, no ponds. it amazes me how they find where there is food.
and how do birds survive the sub zero temperatures, such tiny bodies. do water birds ever get frozen into the ice, when ponds and canal freeze over? What do they live on if their pond is frozen? What do birds find to eat in this severe snow covered land. So many questions. . .
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I have been wondering how this freeze can effect the hibernating butterflies? A few people have mentioned seeing Small Tortoieseshells, probably disturbed from hibernation.
I thought about all the species of butterfly that hibernate in the UK. Comma, Red Admiral, Peacock and Small Tortoiseshell and I know their species has not really seen as bad of winter as it has been, but could they survive the winter? They have survived in previous years as its been milder, but would these species be adapted to survive the winter in these conditions as their previous generations didn't experience such colds for many years and they would not have adapted to live in such conditions?
I know the spring/summer should give us a good indication on if butterflies and moths too survived the winter well or not
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The ice on ponds looks great unfortunately some people are putting antifreeze into garden water feature. It may keep the water flowing and protect pumps but the effect on birds looking for water could be fatal. Recently local vet had to put a kitten down that had drunk from such a garden feature. So if it can kill a kitten what effect on a very small bird
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This is very true - we have hens and I found a product online that claimed that it was for keeping water features and birdbaths free from ice and it said that it was safe for pets and wildlife. I suddenly thought maybe this could be used for our hens drinkers (as they freeze very quickly in this weather) I contacted the company and they said that they would not be 'able' to recommend it for livestock and they would not even give me the active ingredient so that I could find out how safe it was.......?????? What was THAT all about?????
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