MassWildLife: Winter wins for wildlife
With snowbanks towering over homes and bone-chilling winds sweeping across the state, it has been one of the snowiest and coldest winters since 2015. New England wildlife are well adapted to survive the winter, and here at MassWildlife, our staff have discovered that this frigid season can bring a few unexpected benefits!
Wildlife research
Every winter, biologists conduct pellet surveys for Massachusetts' only native rabbit, the New England cottontail. By analyzing DNA found in fecal pellets, biologists can determine whether the droppings were left by a New England cottontail or a non-native eastern cottontail. This information gives us insight into the presence and abundance of New England cottontails within their habitat in southeastern Massachusetts and southern Berkshire County. When temperatures are low, DNA in the pellets remains intact longer, making testing more reliable. Additionally, fresh snow on the ground makes it easier to spot these small brown pellets among the dense young forests and shrublands where the cottontails live.
MassWildlife biologists also take advantage of the winter months to inspect wood duck nest boxes, which are installed near ponds and wetlands to offer supplemental nest sites for cavity-nesting waterfowl. By checking these boxes in winter, staff can tell whether they were used by wood ducks or another species, like hooded mergansers, the previous spring to lay their eggs. The thickness and condition of eggshell fragments in the box can reveal whether the eggs hatched successfully or if they were lost to predators before fully developing. The widespread ice cover this winter allowed staff to safely access the sites and collect this important data more efficiently.
Habitat
Prolonged cold can deliver surprising benefits to our forests and habitats. Several invasive species in Massachusetts are vulnerable to sustained cold temperatures, including southern pine beetles. Their populations have been increasing on Cape Cod and the Islands for the past decade, making them one of the most destructive forest pests in the Northeast. This winter, temperatures remained cold enough for long enough to kill the majority of the overwintering population. Hemlock woolly adelgid—an aphid-like insect that attacks eastern hemlock trees—also saw a considerable decrease in population this winter. Despite being present in Massachusetts since the 1980s, New England winters have caused periodic adelgid population crashes and allowed hemlocks to persist in our forests.
MassWildlife conducts habitat management activities year-round, including during the winter. Many of our projects require selective tree removal to improve healthy open habitats that are home to declining wildlife. Tree removal work is carefully timed to minimize negative impacts to wildlife; we avoid bird and bat breeding seasons as well as locations with wet soils. A long, cold winter extends the amount of time available for projects that use heavy machinery because the ground remains frozen for longer.
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