As winter sets in, many animals worldwide adopt social behaviours to cope with the harsh conditions. Unlike humans who gather for festive cheer, animals unite primarily for survival. From huddling for warmth to forming protective groups, these winter adaptations highlight the challenges wildlife face during this season.
Social Strategies for Survival
Winter presents significant challenges for wildlife, including extreme cold and food scarcity. To endure these conditions, various species, which are typically solitary, form groups. For instance, Brandt’s voles, found in the grasslands and steppe of inner Mongolia, experience winter temperatures as low as -30°C. During the harsh winter months, they abandon their solitary ways and huddle in groups of about four within their underground burrows. This behaviour conserves energy by reducing their resting metabolic rate by up to 37%.
Similarly, Arctic hares, which inhabit the frozen landscapes of northern Canada, shift their behaviour during long winters that can last up to nine months. Instead of remaining solitary, they gather in groups of up to 100 hares. This behaviour enhances their safety from predators, including Arctic foxes and wolves. By increasing the number of eyes on the lookout, these hares can allocate more time to feeding, crucial when food is scarce.
Communal Living and Information Exchange
Rooks, social birds known for their intelligence, also adapt their social structures during winter. Typically living in small flocks, these birds expand their numbers dramatically, forming colonies of hundreds or even thousands. The largest rookery in Britain, located in Buckenham Carrs woodland in Norfolk, hosts an estimated 50,000 rooks each winter. These birds travel up to 20 miles daily to roost together, which not only conserves heat but also facilitates information sharing about food sources.
During the day, rooks forage in smaller groups, returning to the roosts each evening. They pay attention to cues from their companions regarding food availability, allowing less successful foragers to benefit from the successes of their peers. This communal foraging behaviour enhances efficiency and reduces the risk of predation.
Another example of social behaviour in winter is seen in ladybirds. These insects enter a state of physiological dormancy called diapause, which allows them to survive without feeding. They cluster together in groups of hundreds or thousands, which lowers their metabolic rates and creates a stable microclimate that reduces the risk of desiccation. In the UK, native seven-spot ladybirds often gather under tree bark, while the non-native harlequin ladybird seeks refuge in homes, forming clusters near windows during winter months.
In the prairies of Manitoba, Canada, red-sided garter snakes also display communal behaviour during the winter. They congregate in dens, sometimes numbering in the thousands, utilizing underground structures like abandoned chipmunk burrows. By following pheromone trails left by other snakes, they find these communal dens, which not only enhance their survival rates but also facilitate mating in spring. The proximity of males and females upon emergence from hibernation leads to immediate courtship, which is crucial given the short northern breeding season.
Lessons from Nature
These survival strategies underscore the importance of social behaviour among animals in winter. Similar to early humans, who gathered in groups to share warmth and resources, many species have evolved to adopt communal living for survival in challenging conditions. Understanding these behaviours is increasingly vital as climate change impacts winter severity and food availability.
As wildlife faces changing environments, the ability to adapt through social strategies may be critical for their survival. The gathering of animals during winter months illustrates a shared instinct to endure and thrive, highlighting the interconnectedness of life in the face of adversity.
