In this cold weather, be careful when changing or adding anti-freeze for your automobile. Very tiny amounts can cause life-threatening poisoning and animals are attracted to the sweet smell and taste. Protect wildlife and pets by cleaning up any spills immediately.
You can assist backyard wildlife through the frigid temperatures by providing a fresh unfrozen water source. A shallow birdbath or pan with a small heater (such as ones found in farm stores for livestock) will not only help birds and mammals, but will also provide a wonderful wildlife viewing experience without feeding.
Nesting boxes are not just for springtime nesting of baby birds and mammals. A clean bird house or larger nesting box, lined with natural bedding, can offer song birds, (such as small woodpeckers) owls and squirrels a respite from the cold and wind.
Snow, hardened by the extreme cold, provides a wonderful opportunity to get to know your backyard wildlife. You can identify frequent visitors, who otherwise live in secret, from the tracks they leave behind. It may be cold, but short trips outside to examine the snow can be an exciting adventure. Just bundle up first.