Feb. 16, Wild Birds in Winter

While many birds escape the cold and fly to warmer regions during the winter, there are multiple species that have adapted to the climate and stay behind for Wisconsin’s coldest months. The locals that stick around include goldfinches, woodpeckers, chickadees, northern cardinals, blue jays, robins, screech owls and red-tailed hawks. Over winter, you’ll also spot bald eagles, which often congregate near the Wisconsin River or below dams on the Mississippi.

Shereen Siewert welcomes professional ornithologist and educator Steve Betchkal and wildlife biologist Jeanette Kelly for a discussion about the birds of Wisconsin’s winters, how to identify them and strategies to create more bird-friendly communities to encourage their survival.