Five tips to help wildlife thrive this winter

A picture of a grey squirrel on a branch of a tree in winter.
A grey squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) rests on a tree branch in winter.
Photo by gjohnstonphoto / Getty Images

The temperatures are dropping across Canada and many compassionate people are asking how they can support wildlife through winter. The Fur-Bearers has put together this list to help you find ways to support wildlife without directly feeding – because that can lead to significant issues long term (click here to learn more about the impact of feeding wildlife). Let us know which your favourite is!

1 Leave the leaves. A variety of benefits come with allowing fallen leaves to stay in piles on your property, including creating habitat for numerous species of insect and amphibians. These species are important to ecosystems and can also be an overwinter food source for many birds and mammals. Plus, leaves can create a natural mulch that benefits soil health and can reduce weed growth.

A Cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) enjoys a berry from a Serviceberry (Amelanchier genus) tree.
Photo by jamesvancouver / Getty Images

2 Plant native trees and shrubs. Including trees and shrubs in your yard that wildlife evolved alongside gives them incredible opportunities for food and shelter through winter. Work with a local nursery or gardening group to identify which plants are ideal for your soil, sun, precipitation, and hardiness zone.

A picture showing the seed head of golden rod in the winter.
Canada goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) has a dazzling seed head that provides winter interest for landscapes and a food source for numerous birds.
Photo by Alexandra Dokuchaeva / Getty Images

3 Don’t deadhead native plants. While removing the spent flowers of a plant (deadheading) can help generate more growth through the seasons, leaving seedheads intact overwinter not only provides visual interest, but offers a food source to birds and other wildlife. Solidago canadensis (Canadian goldenrod), for example, goes from a golden haven for pollinators to a striking winter plant that birds like Spinus tristis (American goldfinch) love to snack on.

4 Minimize outdoor lighting. Wildlife will often avoid people, even in urban areas, and providing them that opportunity can make a big difference in their ability to thrive through winter. Reducing outdoor lights – particularly decorative lighting that illuminate greenspaces – will make your property more comfortable for wildlife to move through and potentially find habitat within.

A picture showing a homemade wooden bird box near trees.
Homemade nesting boxes are a great way to help give space to wildlife - but remember not to put a peg near the entry hole (they're used by predators).
Photo by Oksana Chaun / Getty Images

5 Create nesting boxes. Whether it’s for bats, birds, or squirrels, creating a nesting box can offer local wildlife additional habitat and safety from extreme temperatures in winter. Click here for plans for a bat house and squirrel house from Hobbitsee Wildlife Refuge and click here for plans and more about building bird houses from CornellLab’s NestWatch program.

Directly feeding wildlife will affect their behaviour and can have tremendous impact on both the ecosystem and human-wildlife conflicts. Remember to feed ecosystems, not wildlife. Do you have a favourite way to help wildlife thrive in winter? Let us know by commenting on our Facebook, Instagram, X, or YouTube posts, or email us at [email protected].

Help Make A Difference

Join The Fur-Bearers today and help us protect fur-bearing animals in the wild and confinement. To become a monthly donor (for as little as $10/month – the cost of two lattes) please click here and help us save lives today. Your donation is tax-deductible.

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