Animals in autumn – How they prepare for winter: native birds

Our Nature Watch guide, Susi, explains in a short series how each animal copes with the hostile living conditions.

The snow finch, also known as the snow sparrow, lives mainly in high-alpine, rocky areas (1900–3100 m) and is a resident bird. Its wings are white, with only the primary feathers and the thumb feather being black. The white tail has a thin black band at the tip; only the two innermost tail feathers are black. The legs and iris are also black. The upperparts are a dull earthy brown, whilst the underparts are entirely white. The head is grey. In summer, the beak and throat are black; in winter, the dark throat patch is concealed by pale feathers. The beak is ivory-coloured in winter. Females are slightly paler in colour than males. The snow finch has a varied repertoire of vocalisations.
The snow finch feeds mainly on insects and seeds. In winter sports resorts, it is very tame and likes to come close to people to peck up crumbs. You may well have spotted this at one or other of the ski huts!

It builds its nest in rock crevices or in abandoned rodent burrows. The clutch consists of four to five eggs, and the incubation period lasts two weeks. Both parents look after the chicks; there can be up to two broods per year.

A birch siskin weighs just 13 to 16 grams – a real lightweight! Its upperparts are grey-brown streaked, whilst its underparts are white. This small bird has a carmine-red crown and a faint white stripe above the eye. Females and young birds do not have the pinkish breast of the male. Its flight call sounds like ‘tschett-tschett-tschett’...

In winter, additional siskins from the north migrate to our region. They live in birch, larch, alder and coniferous forests, as well as in parks and gardens. They are skilful climbers and feed on small seeds and small insects. It builds its nest from moss, twigs, stalks and feathers, usually on the forks of branches on trees and shrubs. The females lay 4–5 eggs, which are incubated for 10–12 days. During this time, the males provide the females with food.

The siskin is also a small, light bird (12–15 grammes). The male has a striking black, yellow and green plumage, with a black forehead and black chin, a yellow head and green cheeks. Its back is grey-green, and its wings are black with a yellow band. The females are somewhat more drab in colour.
They are found throughout Europe. Willow siskins prefer to nest high up in spruce trees; their nests are built from grasses and mosses. Three to five eggs are incubated for 13 days, and the young are fed aphids and caterpillars.

Birds are quite the cuddlers in winter: they huddle closer together and make use of the body heat generated as a result. The thicker plumage they grow also creates a proper insulating layer.

During the cold season, particularly when it’s snowing or freezing, feeding helps ensure the survival of our resident birds, as well as the winter visitors from the north. By providing a continuous supply of food from the first frost until the start of spring, we can ensure that our feathered friends never go hungry!
Would you like to experience these animals in the wild for yourselves? Guided Nature Watch walks – on snowshoes or on foot – offer you plenty of opportunities to do just that. More information and booking here

Photo credits: (c)Alpenpark Karwendel