Chesapeake Bay Animals in the Winter

With the winter months approaching and the weather getting colder many animals are starting to hibernate in the Chesapeake Bay area. But some are just reaching their peak season. Here are some animals to watch out for in the coming months!

  • 1.       Lion’s Mane jellyfish
These Jellyfish are the largest known species in the world! They travel north during the winter because of the cold water. The biggest know Lion’s Mane jellyfish was recorded in Massachusetts in 1870 with a body that was 7.5 feet wide! The father north you get the larger the jellyfish are.
  • 2.       Tundra Swan
These swans normally live and breed in the arctic, but when it gets too cold for them up there they usually fly down to the Chesapeake Bay for some warmer weather. They fly over five miles high and usually touch down and spend their time in marshlands but they have been spotted as far inland as Laurel, Maryland.
  • 3.       Bald Eagle
These birds were almost extinct in the 20th century because of pesticides and pollution but have made a comeback and were taken off the threatened species list in 2007. Bald Eagles generally steer clear of heavily-populated areas, and instead prefer sitting in tall trees, stalking prey. They are also the national bird!
  • 4.       Canvasback
These birds stop by the Chesapeake Bay on their way to the Prairie Pothole in an area of the northern Great Plains. Many believe that they visit us just for the wild celery, and the decrease in the plant has caused the number of Canvasbacks in the region to decrease from 250,000 in the 1950s to 50,000 today.
  • 5.       Bobcat
Unlike a lot of other mammals and wild cats, bobcats don’t hibernate during the winter, they actually wonder farther than during the warmer months. They have padded paws to protect them from the cold snow and also excellent hunters. They hunt mostly during dusk and dawn and can travel between 2 and 7 miles any night.
  • 6.       Northern Cardinal
Although these birds are active all year round they are usually more common in the winter because it’s the time of year when they go out to search for seeds and berries, and will also be easier to spot when their red feathers stand out against the white snow. Cardinals are one of the only female birds that sing!



Bundle up and keep your eyes peeled!

learn more at: http://www.chesapeakebay.net/blog/post/six_chesapeake_bay_animals_best_seen_in_winter
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