Goldfinch in winter

While we are now on the upswing and our days are gradually getting longer, meteorologically speaking the next five weeks will be our coldest. Birds have a greater resistance to cold than mammals. Otherwise, it would be easy for these tiny creatures to freeze solid in our cold clime. Feathers help to insulate them, they have a higher body temp then mammals, they have no protruding ears, nose, or fleshy tail. Their beaks are made of horn and their lower legs and feet are tendinous. Some go into a state of regulated hypothermia at night, others shiver to keep warm, and all of them eat a lot. I'll keep my bird feeders stocked well during the next cold months.