Field Journal 2: Julia DiGiovanni

Date - 2/23/2024
Start time - 3:10 pm
End time - 4:10 pm
Location - East Woods Natural Area
Weather - 46° F, clear sky, wind 10 mph from SSW
Habitat(s) - A variety of older trees with a sparse understory. Specific species include American Beech, Black Cherry, Eastern Hemlock, Northern White Pine, oaks and maples

On today's bird walk in East Woods Natural Area, I had a bit of a harder time identifying specific species. While I saw a lot of birds, the majority of trees in this area were older, with an undeveloped understory. Because of this, most of the birds I observed spent most of their time high up in the canopy, making it difficult to identify them through appearance.

Throughout my walk, I observed many dead snags with varying cavity sizes. Although in the cavities I was able to reach did not have any birds in them at the time, based on my knowledge of winter ecology and the species I observed, these cavities are likely very important to the bird populations in this area. Tree cavities provide protection against harsh winter conditions and also predators. This is especially important in an area like East Woods, where vegetation is not particularly dense and the birds may be more susceptible to weather issues like chilling winds. I saw a lot of smaller cavities which are likely important for smaller species such as Black-capped Chickadee, providing roosting and nesting area. Larger snag cavities are important for larger species like woodpeckers, and while the American Crow does not nest in cavities, they can still use them for shelter and protection, especially in the winter.

Non migratory birds have developed many adaptations and lifestyle traits that allow them to survive the harsh winters we can see in Vermont. More time is required for foraging in the winter because resources are more scarce and possibly spread out. Because of this, birds might allocate their time differently in the winter, spending less time on breeding and territorial activities to allow more foraging time. This increased energy spent on foraging along with the need to maintain body temperatures means birds require a bit more food in the winter, which can be difficult to find. Because of this, the winter diet may slightly differ than their normal diet. This could mean focusing on more energy dense foods, like nuts, seeds, and insects. To make the most of the food they are able to find, Black-capped chickadees, along with some other species, can actually enter a state of "regulated hypothermia" at night, in which they reduce their body temperature to save energy while still remaining alert and active. This can allow them to survive off of less food than they normally would.

Posted on February 24, 2024 02:48 AM by juliadigiovanni