That blanket of snow Iowa has been wearing
for couple weeks now is starting to tell the tale. A flock of
pheasants shows up vividly in a snow covered field; scratching
for waste grain. Your backyard birdfeeders are more crowded.
Telltale deer and rabbit tracks multiply in the yard, or along
field edges. Wildlife species are beginning to feel the bite
from extended snow cover and cold temperatures. Are they affected?
Sure. Is it critical? No. Could it become a major concern? It
depends on the next few weeks.
"While any significant snowfall events can be of concern,
this winter was pretty good for pheasants and quail up until
two weeks ago," notes Todd Bogenschutz, upland game biologist
for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Past radio telemetry
research on hen pheasants in Iowa has shown that winter mortality
increases about 3.5 percent for each week there is mea |
surable snow on the ground. "They
are not dying of starvation or exposure," says Bogenschutz.
"They are being eaten. Snow cover makes pheasants more visible.
With colder temperatures, they are more active; feeding longer.
That tips the scale in favor of the predators."
Iowa's pheasant survival...or lack of it...was major news three
years ago, when record snow cover led to an estimated 70 percent
drop in pheasant population, on the way to the lowest fall harvest
on record. That winter, however, was one of the harshest ever
in Iowa. Thus far, we've had only a couple tough weeks-not months.
Through the first week of February, Iowa received approximately
23 inches of snow, according to data from the National Climatic
Data Center, explains Bogenschutz. In a normal winter, expect
to see about 25 inches through March. Up |
to now, the state-on average-has had 26
days with an inch or more of measurable snow on the ground. Over
an entire season; a typical winter would have 50. So far, Bogenschutz
says Iowa has seen a relatively good winter for upland game species.
"Iowa could experience higher bird mortality if measurable
snow conditions persist another four to six weeks; without moderation
in the temperatures, or with additional snowfall."
Most other wildlife critters face a similar midwinter outlook.
The songbirds in your backyard might be crowding the feeders
now. Those feeders can supplement their feeding regimen. That
might be why a couple dozen mourning doves filled a tree above
my seed feeders this week. "The deep snow affects some;
juncoes and other ground feeders," points out DNR wildlife
diversity biologist Bruce Ehresman. "Ice on the ground would
have been a more critical factor. So would a couple more weeks
of extreme cold. Overall, songbirds are in good shape,"
assess Ehresman.
Small mammals; rabbits, chipmunks and mice operate under the
snow; at ground level, feeding on stems, grasses and roots. Some,
like squirrels, have nuts cached for retrieval when the snow
gets deep.
Larger species-turkeys and deer-head into harsh weather in a
little better shape. "Most turkeys had good fat reserves
(ahead of this month's cold and snow) heading into the winter,"
notes Todd Gosselink, the DNR's turkey biologist. "The weather's
been pretty decent up to the last couple weeks. If the heavy
snow cover would last through February, then there could be an
impact. (For turkeys), it really comes down to spring reproduction
and weather during that period." |
