{"id":5519,"date":"2021-01-04T13:36:57","date_gmt":"2021-01-04T18:36:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/schools.wrdsb.ca\/environmental-education\/?page_id=5519"},"modified":"2021-01-04T13:36:57","modified_gmt":"2021-01-04T18:36:57","slug":"winter-bird-frequently-and-rarely-asked-questions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/schools.wrdsb.ca\/environmental-education\/citizen-science\/winter-bird-count\/winter-bird-frequently-and-rarely-asked-questions\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Bird Frequently-(and rarely)-Asked-Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"

How do birds stay warm in the winter?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The key to staying warm is finding enough to eat. Birds are warm-blooded (endothermic) animals and create heat through cellular respiration. Keeping that heat requires a warm layer of downy feathers underneath the flight feathers. You might see birds puff up in the winter to create an insulating layer or air between their bodies and their feathers. Birds also exercise their muscles in a weird kind of shivering to create heat. Some birds huddle together to stay warm. Birds have many strategies for staying warm.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do birds fly?<\/span><\/h2>\n

In order to fly you need wings, strong muscles to flap those wings, and a light body. Birds have all of those. There is a more complicated explanation available <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

What do birds eat?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Different birds eat different foods. Some eat seeds, some eat insects, some eat fish. Birds have adapted to live in every habitat on earth, and feed on many different things.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where can we see birds?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Because birds live in every type of habitat, even in cities, you can find birds anywhere. The key is to be aware of their movements and sounds. We see and hear birds every day, but most people don\u2019t pay any attention to them. They are just in the background. Tuning in to birds will allow you to find them everywhere every day. To find a greater variety of birds, wander around in different types of habitat.<\/span><\/p>\n

What winter birds do we have around here?<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are about 50-60 species of birds that can be found in Waterloo Region during the winter, though some are not very common. This compares to about 250 species that can be found living here or migrating through during the spring and summer. A bird feeder with different types of seeds might see 10-15 species of birds during the winter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Are birds dinosaurs?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Yes! Birds are dinosaurs. Some dinosaurs had feathers and laid eggs, the same as birds. The birds are leftover from the age of dinosaurs. The closest living relatives of birds are crocodiles!<\/span><\/p>\n

How many species of birds are there?<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are about 10,000 species of birds world-wide. According to Birds Canada, 426 species call Canada home.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the rarest species of bird?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Apparently, the Stresemann\u2019s Bristlefront is the rarest bird, with perhaps only one individual surviving in the wild. In Canada, the Spotted Owl has only one breeding pair left in the wild.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the largest bird species?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The ostrich is the largest bird, growing to over 2.5 metres tall and weighing over 150 kilograms.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the smallest bird in the world?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The bee hummingbird is the smallest bird in the world with a length of 5 cm and a weight of only 2 grams.<\/span><\/p>\n

How can you tell if a bird is male or female?<\/span><\/h2>\n

With some bird species, telling the difference between a male and a female is tricky or impossible. However, in the bird world, males are often more colourful than females. The bright colours of male birds like cardinals and goldfinches advertise their health and make them attractive to females. In many species, the males are larger than females. With owls and hawks, the females are usually larger than males. Though without the birds side-by-side, it is often hard to tell\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

Why are birds different colours?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The colours of birds help them to survive. Either the colours are beneficial for camouflage, or attracting mates, or allowing other birds in their flock to find them. They look pretty to us, but the colours serve a purpose.<\/span><\/p>\n

Birds get their colour in a couple of ways – either by pigment from the food that they eat, or by the way light is scattered when it bounces off the feathers.<\/span><\/p>\n

What was the first bird species in the world?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The dinosaur, archaeopteryx, is sometimes referred to as the \u201cfirst\u201d bird. It had wings and feathers and lived 150 million years ago. It was about the size of a crow.<\/span><\/p>\n

How long can birds live?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Laysan Albatross is the longest living wild bird that we know of, with one bird still alive at 69 years old.\u00a0 Birds in captivity tend to live longer, with some parrots such as macaws living for\u00a0 80 to perhaps 100 years.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the oldest non-extinct bird species?<\/span><\/h2>\n

No one knows for sure, but birds like pelicans, geese, ostriches and loons are some of the birds that have been around the longest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why do birds build their nests in trees?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Birds want their nests to be protected from predators. Many predators like skunks and foxes can\u2019t climb trees, so the trees offer protection that way. But some birds make nests on the ground, or on buildings, or even underground!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How long does it take for birds to grow feathers?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Some birds like ducks and geese are born with downy feathers. In some birds like eagles, they don\u2019t have all of their feathers until they are 10 weeks old.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are birds\u2019 beaks made of?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Part of a bird\u2019s beak is attached to the skull and is made of bone. The hard covering is made of keratin, which is the same stuff your hair and fingernails are made of.<\/span><\/p>\n

How many birds are on earth?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Maybe 100,000,000,000. Hard to count them all.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the most amazing bird you have ever seen?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

I went to Costa Rica one time. I saw crazy looking birds like King Vultures and Montezuma Oropendolas and Toucans. You should go.<\/span><\/p>\n

What do owls eat?<\/span><\/h2>\n

We usually think of owls as just eating mice, but they will eat whatever they can catch. This includes rodents, birds, frogs, snakes, and insects.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the most common bird found in the winter?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The most common birds reported at bird feeders in the winter in North America are chickadees and dark-eyed juncos.<\/span><\/p>\n

What does it feel like for birds to fly?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Flying for birds probably feels like walking for you. It\u2019s just what they do.<\/span><\/p>\n

How many bird species migrate south for winter?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Since about 250 species are found in Waterloo Region during spring and summer, and about 60 species in the winter, maybe 190 species from here fly south.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are predators of birds in winter?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The greatest predator of birds in winter is other birds. Hawks, owls and eagles all eat other birds.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the rarest bird to see in the winter?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Every year, there are some stragglers or lost birds that show up at feeders in Ontario, This winter (2020), there is a meadowlark showing up at a feeder on the Cornell University webcam <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>. It should have flown south months ago. There is a varied thrush in Northern Ontario this winter. Varied thrushes live in BC. The website <\/span>ebird<\/span><\/a> is a good place to find rare bird sightings<\/span><\/p>\n

Where do birds get water if all water sources are frozen?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Sometimes birds do have a hard time finding water in the winter. They will eat snow, but that uses up their body heat. Putting out water for birds in winter can help them a lot. Some solar bird baths keep ice from forming.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do any birds hibernate?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The only bird that hibernates is the common poorwill. It lives in the southwestern United States.<\/span><\/p>\n

How far do birds migrate on average?<\/span><\/h2>\n

It depends. Arctic terns migrate from the Arctic to the Antarctic. 20,000 kilometres! Other birds migrate such short distances that we don\u2019t even notice that they have migrated. Some blue jays migrate, and some stick around all winter. Some blue jays migrate one year, but not the next. Birds will go where the chances for them to meet their needs are highest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why are birds important?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Birds eat millions of insects every day. They eat seeds, some of which are pooped out and help spread plants. Birds sing. They are beautiful. But they are living things that, like us, eat, sleep, have offspring, and try to stay safe. That\u2019s important in itself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why do some birds migrate while other birds stay for the winter?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The birds that stay here for the winter can still find food. If you are a duck and the water that you get your food from freezes, you have to go somewhere warmer. If you eat flying insects, there are no flying insects in the winter, so you have to head south. If you eat worms, when the ground freezes, you can\u2019t survive here. The reason birds fly south is really about finding food. It\u2019s not that they feel too cold.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do birds eat spiders?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Insect-eating birds eat spiders. In one study, one wren brought back 500 spiders to a nest in one day.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do some birds change colour for the winter?<\/span><\/h2>\n

In the fall, many birds such as goldfinches replace all of their feathers (moult) over a period of 6-8 weeks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Do birds need more food in the winter if they stay in colder climates?<\/span><\/h2>\n

If birds move around the same amount as in the summer, they would require more calories to survive. Some birds may conserve energy by not being as active during the winter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where do birds sleep in the winter?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Because predators such as owls are active at night, birds need to find shelter, whether in bushes, evergreen trees, or holes in trees. It\u2019s important to stay out of sight.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why do woodpeckers peck my house when there is no food in my house?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Woodpeckers will drum on trees to advertise to other woodpeckers that this is their territory. The advertisement will be heard over a greater area if the thing they are pecking on makes a loud noise. Pecking on your house probably makes a nice loud noice.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why do some birds have bright colouring?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Bright colours are often used my male birds to show off to females. Bright colours may indicate that the male is in good health and improve its chances of breeding. Some bright colours are harder to see in habitats such as rainforests, where there are many shadows within the trees.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How do birds sing?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Birds have a syrinx, which is kind of like our voice box (larynx), but it has muscles that can vibrate on both sides of it, allowing birds to make two sounds at once.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do birds only lay eggs in the spring and summer?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Some birds like Great Horned Owls and Bald Eagles, whose young take a long time to develop, may lay eggs in late winter. The eggs must be incubated 24 hours a day so that they don\u2019t freeze, so the males bring food for the females during that time. Canada Jays also lay eggs in late February or March.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why do woodpeckers peck wood?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Woodpeckers are looking for insects, eggs and larvae that are under bark, or in the dead wood of trees. They are pecking to find them. Woodpeckers will also drum on trees to advertise their presence to other woodpeckers.<\/span><\/p>\n

What’s the rarest type of bird you will see in Ontario?<\/span><\/h2>\n

In 2020, only one barn owl was seen in Ontario. Ontario is at the most northern part of its range, so yearly sightings are rare.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do humans affect birds?<\/span><\/h2>\n

This is a chart of how many birds are killed each year by human causes in the United States. It\u2019s pretty bad for birds. The greatest threat to birds world-wide is habitat destruction. As human cities and agricultural areas increase in size, bird habitats disappear.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

How much do birds eat?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Most birds eat \u00bc to \u00bd of their body weight each day!<\/span><\/p>\n

What is a bird\u2019s internal temperature?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Most birds have an internal body temperature of about 41-43 degrees Celsius.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do birds have teeth?<\/span><\/h2>\n

No, but some birds have ridges in their beaks for grasping prey.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do birds see the world?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Birds can see colours in the ultraviolet spectrum, which allows them to see the world in greater textures than we can. Colours in feathers and food sources probably stand out for them more than they would for us.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can some birds breathe under water?<\/span><\/h2>\n

No, but the emperor penguin can hold its breath under water for 20 minutes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why do some birds stay in flocks?<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you are in a flock, there are more eyes to see potential predators. The flock may lead you to feeding areas. You can find mates more easily in a group of your own species. Some birds huddle together for warmth. Some birds like Canada geese find it easier to fly in a formation. There are lots of advantages to being in a flock.<\/span><\/p>\n

What birds are active at night?<\/span><\/h2>\n

We often think of owls as being the only nocturnal birds, but there are others such as whippoorwills, nighthawks and black-crowned night herons that are active during the night.<\/span><\/p>\n

Are there any birds in Waterloo Region that can only survive here?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

An animal (or plant) is considered \u201cendemic\u201d to an area if it is found there and nowhere else. Usually that happens when a species is isolated somehow, perhaps on an island. There are no birds that are endemic to Waterloo Region.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do you identify which kind of bird you saw?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The staff of the outdoor and environmental education department have put together identification sheets of the most common birds in Waterloo Region. If you are birdwatching in winter, have a look at <\/span>this page<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are birdwatching during warmer months, try <\/span>this page<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do any endangered birds live in Ontario?\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are 11 species of birds on the endangered species list that are found in Ontario. They are the barn owl, golden eagle, Acadian flycatcher, prothonotary warbler, Kirtlands warbler, Henslow\u2019s sparrow, king rail, loggerhead shrike, northern bobwhite, piping plover, yellow breasted chat, and a sub-species of red knot. Some of these birds would be difficult\/impossible to find in Waterloo Region. In 2020, only Acadian flycatcher and golden eagle were reported in Waterloo Region on the website <\/span>ebird<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is it true that the Cassowary is the most dangerous bird in the world?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Probably. <\/span>Here<\/span><\/a> is an article about attacks on humans.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do owls see at night?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Owls can\u2019t see in the dark, but just the little bit of light that owls get from moonlight and starlight allows them to be deadly hunters. Rods are cells in our eyes that allow us to see in low light. Owls that hunt at night have large eyes that are packed with rods. It is estimated that night-hunting owls can see 10-100 times better than humans at night.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is it okay to feed birds bread?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Birds need a lot of fat and protein to survive, and bread is lacking in those things. It is generally a processed food high in sugar, salt and starch. Bread can also contribute to yeast infections in birds. If you are feeding pigeons or ducks, bird seed is your best option.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do birds have a sense of taste?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Yes, but probably not as good as ours.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the most common type of bird in Canada?<\/span><\/h2>\n

It is estimated that mourning doves and robins are the two most common birds in North America.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why are birds born in eggs?<\/span><\/h2>\n

It would be hard for birds to fly with a bunch of babies growing inside of them. Egg-laying allows birds to pop them out one at a time where they can develop outside of the mother\u2019s body. This strategy allows the greatest chance for mother and babies to survive.<\/span><\/p>\n

How much sleep do birds need?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Bird sleep is weird. Some birds are able to put half of their brain to sleep, while the other half is active. Some birds have a bunch of quick one-minute sleeps. These adaptations allow the birds to be alert to predators most of the time. It is dangerous in nature to be totally unconscious for too long.<\/span><\/p>\n

What should you do if you see a nest with eggs or baby birds in it out on the ground?<\/span><\/h2>\n

If a nest falls on the ground, you can do your best to place it back where it fell from. If you see baby birds on the ground that cannot walk, or do not have feathers, you can put them back in the nest. If a baby bird has feathers and is hopping around, but cannot fly, it has probably left the nest and is still being fed by its parents. Leave it where it is.<\/span><\/p>\n

It is a myth that birds can smell human scent on their babies. Most birds have no sense of smell.<\/span><\/p>\n

How many birds can’t fly?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are about 60 species of birds that cannot fly, including 18 species of penguins.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do birds learn how to fly?<\/span><\/h2>\n

All animals have instincts \u2013 behaviours built into their brains – that they know how to do automatically. Baby birds have instincts to exercise their flight muscles, and eventually start making short flights. The birds don\u2019t learn how to fly from their parents.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is a winter bird?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The term \u201cwinter birds\u201d is what we use to describe the species of birds that spend the winter in our area. \u201cWinter bird\u201d is not the name of a particular species of bird.<\/span><\/p>\n

Which bird is the biggest predator in our area?<\/span><\/h2>\n

In our area, the bald eagle is the largest avian predator, with a body-length of up to a metre and a wingspan of two metres.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the biggest bird to ever live?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Elephant birds, which went extinct about 1000 years ago, were flightless birds that were over three metres tall and weighed over 500 kilograms.<\/span><\/p>\n

How can we help birds?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Keep cats indoors. Cats kill over 100 million birds each year in Canada.<\/span><\/p>\n

Buy organic food. Pesticides in the environment kill birds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Put something in front of your windows that birds can see. Collisions with windows kill millions of birds each year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Plant native trees and plants on your property to provide shelter and food for birds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Put out bird houses.<\/span><\/p>\n

Offer bird seed to birds in the wintertime.<\/span><\/p>\n

Watch birds.<\/span><\/p>\n

Contribute to citizen science projects like Project <\/span>FeederWatch<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>ebird<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

How can you get a chickadee to land on your hand?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Step 1<\/b>: Attach a container of unsalted sunflower seeds to a tree, or a post, or your back porch.\u00a0 It works best if there are some branches or bushes close by where the birds will feel safe.\u00a0 You can put the container close to another bird feeder you already have out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nStep 2:<\/b> Give the chickadees some time to find the seeds.\u00a0 After a few days, if you don\u2019t see any chickadees coming to your container, move the container.\u00a0 Squirrels will come too.\u00a0 Don\u2019t worry about the squirrels.\u00a0 Fill your container every day.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
\nStep 3:<\/b> Once the chickadees are coming to your little feeder, put a few sunflower seeds in your hand, and place your hand over the feeder.\u00a0 Be patient.\u00a0 Be still.\u00a0 The birds are nervous about this.\u00a0 You are nervous about this.\u00a0 A chickadee can\u2019t hurt you.\u00a0 Once you get one brave chickadee to land on your hand, you have a new friend.\u00a0 The chickadee will fly away with a seed or two and either eat them or store them for later.\u00a0 There is a very good chance that a minute later, that same chickadee will be back for more.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Once the chickadees are comfortable coming to your hand, you don\u2019t need to have your hand right over the container.\u00a0\u00a0However, put something over the\u00a0container so that the chickadees will come to your hand instead of going to it.\u00a0\u00a0Then invite your friends and family over to share the feeling.\u00a0 Good luck!<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How do birds stay warm in the winter? The key to staying warm is finding enough to eat. Birds are warm-blooded (endothermic) animals and create heat through cellular respiration. Keeping that heat requires a warm layer of downy feathers underneath the flight feathers. You might see birds puff up in the winter to create an […]<\/p>\n

Read more about<\/strong> Winter Bird Frequently-(and rarely)-Asked-Questions<\/cite> »<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13968,"featured_media":0,"parent":5372,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5519","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/schools.wrdsb.ca\/environmental-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/schools.wrdsb.ca\/environmental-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/schools.wrdsb.ca\/environmental-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schools.wrdsb.ca\/environmental-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13968"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schools.wrdsb.ca\/environmental-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5519"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/schools.wrdsb.ca\/environmental-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5519\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schools.wrdsb.ca\/environmental-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5372"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/schools.wrdsb.ca\/environmental-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schools.wrdsb.ca\/environmental-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/schools.wrdsb.ca\/environmental-education\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}