I hope you are all having a wonderful time now that the cold, winter season is upon us! Surprisingly, winter seems to be a contentious subject with some loving it and some despising it.
One thing I like about winter is the wardrobe. There’s something about a nice pair of boots that makes me feel warm and cozy. Another thing I know that keeps me toasty is a nice winter coat, but did you know people aren’t the only ones who have winter coats? Some birds shed their feathers and replace them with darker colors this time of year.
One that stands out to me is the starling. Unlike their shiny summer coats, they go speckled in the winter. The goldfinch is another bird that sheds its summer jacket for something a bit more mundane. Male goldfinches turn a bit olive when temperatures drop. I find this makes them trickier to identify in the winter than the summer since the males resemble pine warblers. Relying on range maps can be helpful in this scenario.
Not all birds shed their colors in the winter months. I think my favorite bird to see in the winter is the cardinal. The males retain their bright red bodies and black masks throughout the season and the females their dusky rose.
So, what’s your favorite winter bird?
Nicolette Harpford 