Skunks, raccoons and opossums are some examples of animals that sleep during the coldest parts of winter but awaken to look for food when there is a break in the weather. The only true mammalian hibernators in Ohio are jumping mice, groundhogs and little brown bats. The body temperatures and heart rates of these animals also drop, but not nearly to the extent of true hibernators, so they are more easily awakened. Animals that hibernate do so along a continuum from true hibernators (animals whose body temperatures drop extremely and respire very slowly) to those that enter various states of torpor or controlled hypothermia.
For animals that can seek shelter in a secure spot, it’s an effective strategy to conserve energy and survive winter’s chill when food and water might be scarce.
As animals enter a state of hibernation or torpidity their heart rates slow, body temperatures cool, and energy requirements drop. Animals eat heartily during the fall to build their fat reserves for the upcoming dormancy. Hibernation is the long-term dormancy or inactivity of an animal. For some other animals, hibernation is the approach they use to survive winter’s chill. While migration is a fitting strategy for birds who are adapted to traverse long distances in order to seek out ideal conditions, other animals can’t expend that much energy in order to survive so they use other strategies. By December, most species have peaked, but a few stragglers might be found. Waterfowl migration ramps up during the month of November with many ducks and geese reaching their peaks. By the time October arrives, the warbler migration has crested, only to be surmounted by shorter-distance migrants like ruby-crowned and golden-crowned kinglets and winter wrens. Throughout the month of September, a wide variety of songbirds pass through our area, including but certainly not limited to thrushes, vireos, and flycatchers. As fall approaches, the number and variety of birds preparing to migrate increases. Also, by this time warblers (like the yellow warbler) pass through the area in good amounts. Shorebirds begin to move in the late summer and swallows (including the barn swallow) start to stage and soon take off for warmer weather. For many birds, the end of summer signals that it’s time to start preparing for the journey south. When we think of animals that migrate, we often think of the many species of birds that fly south for the winter. Opossums sleep during the coldest parts of winter but awaken to look for food. In order to successfully migrate, animals must build up their stamina in order to survive the journey this often involves increasing their energy intake to build up their fat reserves while traveling. Migration takes a lot of energy and it’s a stressful time for an animal. For some, their migration may take only a few hours while others may take weeks to reach their destination.
Animals that migrate may only move a short distance or across a vast expanse. Migration involves the movement of a group of animals from one location to another. Generally, animals use three strategies to survive winter’s chill: they either migrate, hibernate, or simply tolerate the cold.
Animals on the other hand don’t have that luxury, but they do have ways to survive some of winter’s harshest conditions. It’s easy for us to don a few extra layers or turn up the thermostat a few degrees to stay warm. When the cold and snowy days of winter come upon us in northeast Ohio, many of us are prepared to deal with the frigid temperatures, lake-effect squalls, short days and long nights. By Tom Koritansky, Natural Resource Manager
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