If you’re cold, they’re cold — but they don’t need jackets

Note: Capt. Kirk is on leave for a while. In the meantime, enjoy a version of this classic from our archives.

Winter isn’t quite over, and — just as we humans all put on our coats and long pants when temperatures dip — animals, birds and reptiles have their own natural ways of keeping warm.

Here in Florida, animals do not have to contend with extreme cold for very long periods. A natural buildup of smaller strands of fur at the end of fall season is all that is needed for our furry friends. As with all animals during cooler times, they feed more because they use more energy to keep warm.

You will also note that all animals will use the heat from the midday sun to store heat and, later in the afternoon, find a place to bed down for the night. This spot is usually on the south side of a tree or thick brush to block the north wind. This also exposes the animals to the early morning sun. Some animals — such as gophers, armadillos and opossums — will tunnel into the ground. Some animals will share a hole already dug by a gopher tortoise.

With birds, their feathers are nature’s very best insulation. Many birds will have a third more feathers during winter season. They can “ruffle” their feathers, thus trapping more heat. Birds also have a way to oil their feathers, called an uropygial (or “preening) gland. The oil thickens the feather for better insulation.

You may have seen some birds that turn their heads and tuck their beaks into the feathers on their back. This is to prevent heat loss through the bill. Some birds will balance on one leg as they bring the other up and tuck it into the feathers, which also prevents heat loss. Some birds will roost at night in groups to share the heat of their bodies. Crows have been observed doing this by the hundreds.

During sunny days, birds will also warm their backs in the sun, with their wings spread to collect more heat. As with all creatures in the wild, they feed more during cold times to build up fat and energy. This is one reason backyard bird feeders are much busier in winter.

Fish and other marine life are affected by the cold as well. Their movement slows down and they also usually congregate in deeper pockets of water where the temperature is steadier. Why don’t fish freeze when the water is colder than 32 degrees? In areas way up north where the water freezes, fish have developed an “antifreeze” protein in their blood. This lowers the freezing temperature of the fish’s blood, so ice crystals don’t form and destroy the blood cells. Here in Florida, there are several fish kills because of extreme cold weather, but they are rare instances.

Reptiles have different ways to cope with the change in temperature. Coldblooded creatures are also called “poikilothermic” — their body temperature is controlled by the outside temperatures. Some reptiles, like snakes and lizards, will seek out nighttime areas that are rocky, which hold in the heat from the sun for overnight periods.

Some snakes will share holes dug in the ground by rabbits and tortoises. They will also slither onto asphalt roadways, which also hold the heat from the sun. There are some frogs, like the wood frog, that will actually completely freeze during extreme cold, but come back to life after thawing in the spring.

Alligators are unique in that, during the late afternoon, they will soak up the sun on riverbanks. Later in the afternoon, they bury themselves in mud with only their snout and nose sticking up so they can breathe. The mud protects them from the cold. The next morning, when the sun heats up the mud, they will come out and lie in the sunshine again.

Observing nature during these colder times is interesting and sometimes funny as creatures compete for food and warmth. This is a good time for nature lovers to take an early walk in a park to enjoy our great outdoors. ¦

— Capt. Dennis Kirk and his wife, Nancy, are avid mariners and outdoor enthusiasts currently living in North Port. Since the 1970s, their love of nature in Southwest Florida has allowed them to experience the dream of writing about their travels and adventures of sailing, fishing and flying.

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