So far this is turning out to be the winter without snow all across the US. As of Christmas we still don’t have any snow on the ground. Oh sure, a few places in the west are enjoying a bit of snow but here in the Midwest and east, forget about it! No snow. Which of course means, everyone is asking me, “so what does the lack of snow mean for the animals and birds”? Well, so here is the best explanation I can come up with.

In regions that normally receive a generous blanket of snow, the lack of snow alters a lot of dynamics in nature. In regions that normally don’t have regular snow fall, obviously it won’t change a thing. So back to the regions that normally gets snow, which is most of us. What are the ramifications of no snow?

Snow is a blessing and a curse all wrapped up into one frozen package. In nature, rarely is a single event or condition just a good or just a bad thing. It’s usually a mixed bag of good and bad and the lack of snow is no exception. First the blessings of no snow. A blanket of snow does much for a lot of wildlife. Take snowshoe hares or jackrabbits for example. They turn white in winter to help blend in and hide from predators. So take away a white landscape of snow and these critters stand out like a sore thumb. They are easy pickings for predators. So having no snow is a bad thing for these critters.

Mice, voles, shrews and other small critters depend upon a nice thick blanket of snow in which to hide or live underneath during winter months. These small animals depend upon a blanket of snow for a level of visual protection. They actually move about on the ground underneath the snow where temperatures are moderately warm compared to normal winter air temperatures. The snow also helps to hide them from view while they go about their daily or nightly activities. However predators such as hawks, owls, foxes and coyotes gain a benefit from the snow. These predators are able to hear the small critters under the snow and pounce or punch through the snow to capture their next meal. So the snow works both ways in this scenario. Take away the snow and the small critters remain underground which means they stay away from the predators.

Snow also protects many plant species. A blanket of snow acts like a down comforter and will help insulate the ground from extreme cold air temperatures and deep frost. Not that we’ve had any extreme cold temps, but you know what I mean. A blanket of snow stops the frost from penetrating deep into the ground and killing the roots of wildflowers, shrubs and trees.

When snow is covering the ground it gives an advantage to animals such as rabbits who travel on the surface of the snow. The deep snow allows the rabbits to reach the stems of bushes that they normally can’t reach. It also allows for the small critters that burrow in the snow to reach the base of young trees and shrubs and chew off the tender bark while remaining hidden by the snow.

These are just a few examples of the Ying and Yang of a winter without any snow. Personally I am ok with the lack of snow. Other than the fact that we can really use the soil moisture, I find it a pleasant change of pace and it makes my job as a wildlife photographer a lot easier but on the other hand it makes it a lot harder. Harder because at this time of year can capture winter images, but without the snow it makes it a hard. On the other hand the images I am taking right now look like fall or autumn and that is good too. So there you have it, the lack of snow is good and bad, depending upon your point of view. Until next time…

Stan Tekiela is an author / naturalist and wildlife photographer who travels the US to study and photograph wildlife. He can be followed on twitter and facebook. He can also be contacted via his web page at www.naturesmart.com