IT’S A FREEZING, BLUSTERY DAY IN THE DEAD OF WINTER, but your backyard is alive. Blue jays squawk, northern cardinals perch on snowy branches, American robins dine on berries, nuthatches search for insects in leafless trees, and house finches sip from the heated birdbath. Meet your “resident” birds, hardy souls that have forgone long-distance migration in favor of staying put or migrating short distances.
There are different pathways to winter survival that developed from how birds evolved and what made sense for them, says Mark Faherty, science coordinator for Mass Audubon Cape Cod. “Some evolved to deal with freezing cold nights, while others put all their energy into flying to Central and South America.”
To avoid predators, some residents travel in mixed-species flocks. To keep warm, they fluff their feathers…
