We’re in the midst of a nasty winter storm of rain, sleet, ice, and (so they predict) 6 to 10 inches of snow to top things off later. Yet, most of our winter birds, large and small, will survive far better than we would if we stayed outside.

Their survival is dependent on their ability to maintain their elevated body temperature (generally about 105°F) to be active enough to find food. Stated another way, winter birds need to slow down body heat loss. The smaller the bird, the more difficult this is. Ingesting calories needs to be maximized and expending calories needs to be minimized.

That means, among other things, winter birds must engage in less activity that is not associated with consuming food; shelter in tree cavities, crevices, and nesting boxes if they can; and, fluff their feathers to create a cushion of insulated air that can be heated by a resting body. Curiously, it also means self-reducing their body heat when immobile at night. Reducing the difference in temperature between the bird and its environment reduces body heat loss.

The Leighton archive images shown here were taken in Brooklin, Maine, and are of mourning doves trying to get to food (which they eventually did), a black-capped chickadee hunting for food, and a wild turkey conserving energy.

In the Right Place: Survival