RI Wildlife: Severe Weather Takes Toll On Animals & Birds Too

TIVERTON, RI — When seagulls started buzzing the bird feeders at Carolyn D'Arpino's Tiverton home, she caught them on camera as they soared over the frozen Sakonnet River. Patch turned to a wildlife expert to find out how the birds and animals are faring in this weather.

The birds, ducks and other wildlife are in a struggle to survive because of this weather, said Kristin Fletcher, executive director at Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Rhode Island. Frozen bays mean no food for ducks, swans, gulls and little diving ducks like grebes and loons, as well as squirrels and other wild animals. Although they're built to survive the cold, they need food to maintain their metabolism.

"This weather is problematic for wildlife for a few reasons," she said. "With the bays freezing over, sea birds lose access to their food supply. Deep snow covers grasses and other types of food so we get in emaciated birds. That’s what killed all the geese a few years back. The frigid temps also can cause hypothermia in certain instances, especially when wild animals are getting too thin or become injured and are down. It can be a vicious cycle."

Although her clinic is not seeing the large numbers of dead geese as reported a couple of years ago, she pointed out this extreme weather will be the last stand for a lot of young animals.

"Nine out of 10 will not make it through their first year for a lot of reasons," she explained. Some animals have been weakened by injuries. Some are sick. And some are not efficient hunters. This weather will be the end for them, she predicted.

The weather will compound their problems, she said. Plus, the cold can also cause new injuries.

"We also sometimes need to treat frostbite, too," she said.

If the forecast for milder temperatures pans out, the mild weather will help the geese that eat grasses. It will also help the swans, which eat vegetation in the water. Once those plants are exposed again, the birds will have food. Meantime, these conditions are hard for them.

Also, ice creates another issue for the little diving ducks. They need to run on the water before they can take off in flight.

"Once the water's frozen, they're stranded," she said.

Photo Credit: Carolyn D'Arpino