How to Help Wildlife in Winter

Winter is a beautiful season, but it can also be a challenging season for wildlife. Snow, ice, and cold temperatures make food, water, and shelter scarce. Here are a few simple ways to support wildlife in your area.

Provide Clean, Unfrozen Water

Even in the coldest months, birds, squirrels, and other small animals need fresh water to survive. A heated birdbath or a shallow dish checked daily can make a big difference. Be sure to refresh the water daily and wash the dish weekly to prevent the spread of disease.

Feed High-Energy Foods for Birds

Cold winter temperatures increase the amount of energy birds need to stay warm, and during harsh weather they can use up their reserves quickly. Offering high-energy foods like black oil sunflower seeds, suet, peanuts, or mealworms can give birds an important nutritional boost when natural food sources are scarce or buried under snow. If you choose to feed birds in winter, try to keep feeders stocked consistently. Once birds discover a reliable food source, they may return to it regularly until spring buds begin to emerge.

Create Shelter in Your Yard

Proper shelter during the winter months can be just as critical as food and water. Brush piles, evergreen boughs, and stacked logs provide protection from predators and harsh weather, giving birds, rabbits, and small mammals a safe place to rest and hide.  Designating even a small space in your yard as a winter wildlife habitat is beneficial.

Be Careful When Driving

Shorter days mean we are more likely to be traveling on roadways at dawn and dusk, when a variety of species, such as deer, fox, and bear, are most active. Be especially aware when driving at these times of day. Salt on roadways is attractive to wildlife seeking the hard-to-find minerals they need in their diet. Animals that are distracted near roadways are more susceptible to collisions. Birds of prey, and other wildlife, are also more likely to be feeding on roadkill during the winter months when prey is scarce. Slowing down and remaining alert can help to prevent wildlife-related accidents.

Choose Wildlife-Friendly Salt for Ice Removal

Ice and snow can be hazardous, but traditional road salt can have negative environmental impacts. Using wildlife-friendly alternatives like pet-safe deicers keeps your sidewalks safe while protecting the animals that share your neighborhood.

Know How to Help and Who to Call for Injured Wildlife

Each February, Tamarack Wildlife Center offers our virtual Wildlife First Responders Course. Have you ever wished you’d known how to handle a wildlife emergency like a baby rabbit caught by a cat or a hawk hit by a car along the road? This course will teach you: when to intervene in wildlife situations and when not to, as well as how to capture, stabilize, and transport injured wildlife to a rehabilitator. Registration for this course is open through January 30^th.

With your help, winter can be less challenging for the wildlife that call your area home. Have a safe, warm, and wildlife-friendly winter season!