migratory and non-migratory birds in NJ and east coast mamals that hibernate

December 2010

Critters: Who lives here? Who lives where?

Leonard J. Buck Garden, Far Hills, New Jersey
Non-migratory birds and non-hibernating mammals will keep you entertained at the Leonard J. Buck Garden.

As fall turns to winter in New Jersey, we dig into our cedar chest and closets for warmer coats, hats and gloves. By this time our local wildlife is also preparing for frigid temperatures.

The majority of songbirds have migrated to warmer climates. Cold-blooded reptiles and amphibians are hibernating in holes under ground. Certain mammals such as bear (who only go into “winter lethargy” and are easily aroused), groundhog and bats have entered into hibernation, a long deep sleep. But not all wildlife hibernates or flies the coop. Listed below are just some of the wildlife that call the Leonard J. Buck Garden their winter home.

Chipmunks, raccoons and skunks do not hibernate for the winter; they enter a state called “torpor.” Their body temperature and heart rate are lowered, and they partake in a nap rather than a deep sleep. Chipmunks are omnivores and are considered the janitors of the squirrel family. When the weather is nice and the temperature rises they will come out for a snack. You can always see chipmunks scurrying underneath our bird feeding station on nice winter days looking for seed, insects, grubs and anything else lying about.

Rabbits, as you may know, do not hibernate in the winter either. Instead, they slow down and limit their activities to conserve energy. Rabbits are mostly active during dusk or dawn. Once in a while during the day we see a rabbit foraging for grasses, twigs, and mosses to eat and, when a blanket of snow carpets the garden, we see rabbit foot prints early morning.

The gray squirrel is around all year, even digging through snow to retrieve buried nuts. Squirrels forget where they buried their nuts so they rely on their sense of smell. A squirrel buries each nut individually and can smell his stash under a foot of snow. When snow is deep, the squirrel tunnels under it to get closer to the scent. Both males and females build winter nests in mature trees.

Foxes are also active year-round and do not hibernate. They are predominantly active at dusk, night and dawn. Their daytime activity is more common than many realize in both rural and urban areas. In winter, the mating season, the American red fox extends its range from 2 to 10 miles. During the breeding season, males are known to move over areas larger than their home territory, presumably looking for mates, while females typically spend a greater proportion of their time at the perimeter of their territories.

Fox and their dens have been observed along the woodland edges of the garden. The tracks that are left in the snow are very similar to a large cat except they have 4 claws that show up in the print. The front prints are just over 2 inches long. Even when they are out of sight we know when the garden has become a part of their territory. Fox mark their territories with urine, and feces - the smell of fox is quite characteristic and a useful indication that our garden has been visited during the night.

You can hear their songs and see them dinning on seed and berries throughout the winter garden; “they” are our non-migratory birds, said to be resident or sedentary. Resident birds such as house sparrows remain in their home area year round, unlike “winter residents,” more northern migratory birds that fly south for the winter to our backyards. White-throated sparrows, summer residents in Canada, are winter residents in the U.S.

American robins are migratory, despite seeing them in our backyard all year. The robins you have seen all summer in your East Coast yard may fly south to Florida during fall migration. In winter, they may be replaced by robins that have bred further north and flew “south” to New Jersey or surrounding states. In this way, robins are well-represented in their northern range, even in the dead of winter where the snow lies deep.

Additional winter birds you may observe flying swiftly through the garden’s crisp, cool air are: American goldfinch, blue jay, black-capped chickadee, northern cardinal, dark-eyed junco, mourning dove, house finch, purple finch, tufted titmouse, tree sparrow, wrens, downing woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, pileated woodpecker, and red-bellied woodpecker.

Fewer regions on earth have the diversity of wildlife found in the northeastern U.S. Their life forms are dictated by the various climates, altitudes, latitude, food supply and soil types of the region. Visit the Leonard J. Buck Garden and listen to the songs that fill the air and the tracks that lead you through a satisfying and contemplative journey.

- Tricia Scibilia, interpretive gardener, Leonard J. Buck Garden, Somerset County Park Commission: www.somersetcountyparks.org
**Photos by Tricia Scibilia unless otherwise noted

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