With colder weather now here, and more on the way in coming months, animals have begun changing their habits and behaviors.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources Interpretive Naturalist and Educator Anne Riordan says that birds are beginning to show migration behaviors. She mentions that some have begun to fly south, while others like waterfowl will wait until open water freezes, and others yet will have everything they need during winter and stay here. Riordan explains that there are even some birds that migrate here for winter. SHe adds that many mammals are eating as much as they can, putting on fat to help them hibernate.

Riordan shares that deer are an animal that remains awake throughout the winter, finding food where they can. She says that an interesting adaptation that deer go through to help them fight the cold weather is that they will gain their winter coat, which is made up of hollow hairs that help with insulation, keeping them warm.