68 Nebraskaland • January-February 2024
considerations for an animal to stick around in
winter is the availability of food. Most wintering
herbivores are able to adapt from eating the
green leaves of summer to the woody twigs and
bark that remains. While chickadees certainly
like seeds at feeders, the small birds will also
eat fat from decomposing animal carcasses.
For deer, a keen sense of smell helps them
find food under the snow, and the pads of their
feet harden for winter to make it easier to dig
through the snow and ice.
The ways animals survive in the wild are
many, whether during winter or other times
of the year — it's something to think about
while we're huddled up with a hot drink near
the fire.
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