The city of Fairbanks, Alaska, sits at a latitude of 64 degrees north. That's just a little

shy of the Arctic Circle. In the middle of winter, the average high temperature in Fairbanks is only

about 2 degrees Fahrenheit, which is minus 17 degrees Celsius. But the low temperature often plummets to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, which is minus 17 degrees Celsius. But the low temperature often plummets to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit,

which is almost minus 30 degrees Celsius.

Yikes.

And it's really dark up there too.

The sun is up for only four hours a day during December.

People living in Fairbanks can make it through the winter because they have

electricity, Netflix, friends, board games, and booze. But what about the birds? There are birds that

live year-round in the boreal forests around Fairbanks. Birds don't understand how board games work,

and they certainly can't afford to buy liquor.

So what do they do to get through the long, dark winter in central Alaska?

One of these birds is a hyperactive, chatty little finch called the Common Red Pole, Acanthus Flamea.

It's grayish brown with a splash of strawberry red on its forehead.

Common red poles eat all sorts of small seeds from coniferous trees and other plants.

Some of these birds fly south in the winter, but the ones that stick around have to endure the cold.

It boggles the mind to imagine how red poles and other

tiny birds can make it through the winter. What special adaptations did they inherit from their

ancestors to be so dang hardy and resilient? Well, put on a thick sweater, crank up the thermostat,

and pour yourself a hot beverage because we're heading into the frozen woods to figure out just how the heck birds manage to keep warm and find enough food in winter.

Hello and welcome. This is the Science of Birds. I am your host, Ivan Philipson. The Science of Birds podcast

is a lighthearted, guided exploration of bird biology for lifelong learners. Today, we're looking at

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