Under Starry Skies: Canadian Wildlife in the Winter Solstice Season
Uncovering how birds, mammals, and plants make the most of December’s extended night
Embracing the Deepest Darkness
With the Winter Solstice on December 21, 2024, we are at the time of year when night stretches longest across Canada.
While you might find these dark evenings challenging, many of our country’s wild plants and animals depend on this darkness to survive and thrive. Winter nights may seem silent and still, but that’s only because much of what happens is hidden from the casual observer.
Think about it: owls hunting beneath moonlight, small mammals tunnelling under snow, nocturnal fish feeding in dark rivers, and certain plants quietly preparing for spring growth.
Darkness can offer protection, cover, and cues that help species manage energy and outsmart predators or competitors. This story will give you a closer look at how some Canadian wildlife, both flora and fauna, use the longest nights of December to their advantage.
Owls – Ruling the Night Sky
One of the most iconic nocturnal hunters is the Great Horned Owl, found across most of Canada.
It doesn’t shy away from winter’s dark. Instead, the owl’s superb night vision and hearing allow it to locate small mammals like mice, voles, and even snowshoe hares. Owls’ facial disks focus sound toward their ears, making them extraordinary listeners. Add silent flight—thanks to specialized wing feathers—and you have a top-tier nocturnal predator.
For more information on owls and their winter habits, the Hinterland Who’s Who website (https://www.hww.ca/) provides detailed profiles. You might learn, for instance, that the Snowy Owl, although not strictly nocturnal, also hunts in low light and is well-adapted to dim winter conditions, especially in Canada’s North.
The Lynx – Stealth in the Darkness
The Canada Lynx, a wild cat of the boreal forest, benefits from long nights. Its prey, mainly snowshoe hares, are active at dawn and dusk.
During December’s extended darkness, hares move under low light, making it easier for lynx to use stealth and surprise. The lynx’s large, padded paws act like snowshoes, letting it creep quietly. Its excellent vision, suited for low light, means it can spot subtle movements against a dark forest backdrop.
If you’re curious about the lynx’s range and habits, the Canadian Wildlife Federation (https://www.cwf-fcf.org/) offers species profiles. Keep in mind that successful lynx hunts often happen when human eyes would fail to see anything at all.
Nocturnal Bats and Their Winter Strategies
Many of Canada’s bats, such as the Big Brown Bat, typically hibernate through the winter.
They find dark, stable-temperature places like caves or abandoned mines. Though bats aren’t flying about hunting insects in December, the darkness and consistent cold inside these hibernation sites is crucial. If winter nights weren’t so long and predictably cold, bats might emerge prematurely, wasting energy they need to survive until spring.
For updates on bat conservation efforts and research on their hibernation habits, you can check with the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (https://www.cwhc-rcsf.ca/) and Bat Conservation International (https://www.batcon.org/).
Small Mammals Under the Snow
Below the snow’s surface, in a zone called the subnivean layer, small mammals like deer mice, red-backed voles, and masked shrews stay active all winter long.
This hidden world remains warmer and more stable than the bitter air above. The long December nights don’t bother these animals because they rarely see the open sky. Instead, they tunnel through snow, foraging on seeds, bark, and other plant materials.
They prefer nighttime activity because darkness reduces the risk of predators like owls or foxes spotting them if they poke above the snow for a brief look.
The Royal Ontario Museum’s online collections (https://collections.rom.on.ca/) and the Manitoba Museum (https://manitobamuseum.ca/) websites have species guides that can help you identify these critters if you ever come across their tiny tracks.
Winter Moths and Insect Oddities
While most insects vanish or go dormant, a few hardy species, like winter moths, can appear on mild December nights in some regions of Canada.
Winter moths don’t thrive in extreme cold, but if there’s a brief warm spell, you might spot them fluttering around lights or tree trunks after dark. This adaptation lets them feed and mate when other species are inactive, reducing competition.
For more details on winter-active insects, you can browse through resources from the Entomological Society of Canada (https://esc-sec.ca/). Though sightings are rare, these insects remind us that not all life sleeps through the longest nights.
Fish and Aquatic Life in Dark Waters
Not all nocturnal activity takes place on land.
In rivers and lakes that remain ice-free or have open pockets, certain fish species feed more actively at night. The Burbot, for example, is a freshwater fish known to be more active in low light. Burbot spawn mid-winter under ice, and the stable darkness helps them avoid predators. The quiet of a winter night suits their lifestyle, where less competition might mean easier feeding.
For details on Canadian fish behaviour, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (https://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/) or provincial fish and wildlife departments may have research papers on species like Burbot and their winter habits.
Plants That Need the Long Dark
Plants are not active in the sense of movement, but they rely on the cycle of daylight and darkness.
In December, when nights are longest, many Canadian plants—like maple trees, birch, and certain shrubs—are in deep dormancy. This dormancy is controlled by hormones that respond to both light and temperature. Long periods of darkness actually help trigger the rest period they need to survive. When spring returns, these same plants will know, based partly on how long the nights were, that it’s safe to bud and flower.
Northern boreal mosses and lichens, which remain alive under the snow, also benefit from darkness and stable temperatures.
They conserve energy until there’s enough sunlight and warmth to resume growth. The Royal Botanical Gardens (https://www.rbg.ca/) and the Canadian Botanical Conservation Network hold resources on these plant adaptations.
Arctic and Northern Adaptations
In Canada’s far north, some regions experience nearly 24-hour darkness in mid-winter.
Species like the Arctic hare and the Arctic fox adapt by changing their coats to white, blending with snowy surroundings. Without daylight, predators rely heavily on subtle sound and smell. The fox, for instance, can hear rodents scurrying under snow even in pitch darkness.
Caribou, which roam in northern landscapes, may limit their movements to conserve energy. Their keen sense of smell helps them detect lichens beneath the snow in low light. The Canadian High Arctic Research Station (CHARS) (https://www.chars-srhc.ca/) provides insights into how Arctic species cope with these extreme seasonal changes.
Darkness as a Resource
Why do so many species depend on long nights?
Darkness can mean lower competition for resources. For example, an owl hunting in darkness faces fewer daylight predators that might steal its prey. Small mammals can move with less fear of hawks or eagles, which struggle to hunt by night. In many ecosystems, darkness levels the playing field, letting certain species specialize in niches that daylight-only creatures can’t exploit.
The long December nights are nature’s time for a different set of players to shine. Winter darkness ensures that no single species dominates the entire cycle of the day. The result is a more balanced ecosystem.
Reducing Light Pollution to Protect Nocturnal Life
As humans spread into more remote areas, artificial lighting threatens these ancient rhythms.
Light pollution can confuse migrating birds, disrupt insects, and make it harder for nocturnal mammals to hunt. Even plants can be tricked by artificial light into changing their growth patterns.
The International Dark-Sky Association (https://www.darksky.org/) offers guidelines on using outdoor lighting more responsibly.
Small changes—like directing light downward, using fewer and dimmer bulbs—can help preserve natural darkness. Protecting dark skies isn’t just for stargazers; it helps maintain the delicate balance that wildlife has counted on for thousands of years.
Want to Learn More and Get Involved
If you’re curious to observe nocturnal wildlife safely and responsibly, consider visiting parks or wildlife reserves that host winter programs.
For example:
Elk Island National Park (Alberta): Nighttime guided walks to listen for owls or coyotes.
Algonquin Provincial Park (Ontario): Winter backcountry expeditions might reveal tracks of nocturnal mammals.
Kouchibouguac National Park (New Brunswick): Known for its dark skies, where you might catch a glimpse of owls or see tracks of small mammals under starry nights.
Check their websites or call visitor centers to see if any guided winter night tours are available.
Citizen science programs like eBird (https://ebird.org/canada/) can help you record owl sightings. iNaturalist (https://inaturalist.ca/) lets you share photos of tracks, droppings, or rare winter insects you might find after dusk.
Bringing It All Together
As the Winter Solstice arrives and you face the longest nights of the year, think about all the species that don’t just endure this darkness—they depend on it.
From owls scanning silent fields to lynx prowling for hares, from hidden insect activity to fish moving under ice, life continues in the absence of sunlight.
Hardy plants rest in dormancy, waiting for their cue from lengthening days to burst forth in spring. Northern species adapt to near-constant darkness with keen senses and careful energy use. This intricate interplay shows that darkness is more than an absence of light; it’s a dynamic stage set for survival, adaptation, and community balance.
Finding Respect for the Night
For many of us, darkness can feel limiting. But for Canada’s nocturnal wildlife and hardy plants, it’s a critical resource.
The longest nights offer safe cover, hunting advantages, stable environments for hibernation, and signals for seasonal change. By recognizing the importance of this darkness, we can better appreciate the natural world’s complexity.
As you note the passing of the Winter Solstice this week, consider how every creature has its moment to thrive. The darkness of December may seem challenging to you, but for many species, it’s an old friend—a condition they’ve counted on for generations to feed, hide, rest, and prepare for brighter days ahead.
Share Your Stories with After Dark Wildlife
Now it’s your turn. What are your stories about wildlife after dark? There’s a whole world out there that comes to life when we mostly hunker down indoors. Take a quick sec. to type a comment and share your stories. I look forward to reading them all.
And then, have a rad rest of your day (and night)!
Sources used to research this story
https://umb.libguides.com/PrimarySources/secondary
https://history.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/history_source_types.pdf
https://libguides.lehman.edu/history/primary-secondary-sources
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-esc-introtocollegereadingandwriting/chapter/finding-sources/
https://pressbooks.pub/writingtextbook/chapter/types-of-sources/
https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/types-of-sources/
https://crk.umn.edu/library/primary-secondary-and-tertiary-sources