How do birds survive the bitter cold, skinny legs ’n all?



Read my column on Capital Parent’s blog,
where you can also read the full current issue.

As we know, many birds survive Canadian winters by completely avoiding the bitter months. Many migrate to warmer climates, some even flying as far as Florida or South America.

By Katharine Fletcher

Some sub-arctic and boreal forest species such as snow buntings, great grey and snowy owls, and rough-legged hawks migrate from the north to our more southerly region to overwinter. Believe it or not, Ottawa is their Florida!

Have you ever wondered why, when winter temperatures plunge to -40C, birds’ spaghetti-thin legs don’t freeze solid? How can these extremely tiny animals survive winter’s frigid conditions?

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Read the full story on Capital Parent’s blog.