Cold Winds of Change

Living in the city changes many species’ winter behaviours: they sleep less, eat more, some even forget to fly south

we are a nation of people who love to Among urbanized Canadians, crucial adaptations for coping with winter include slush-resistant footwear, underground networks of malls and path systems, and brightly festive lighting. Much like herds of buffalo huddling together in an intense January wind on the Prairies, groups of commuters will close ranks at a bus stop in a snowstorm. Cities allow humans to batten down the hatches, share the warmth, and face the long dark and cold months together.

Animals too benefit from an urban lifestyle. Wherever they live, wildlife have three basic responses to winter: sleep through it (hibernation), leave it (migration) or just “tough it out” (survival). In cities, those behaviours change somewhat.