As one who has always been close to the outdoors and the natural world, the recent bout of harsh winter weather with high winds and cold temperatures brings home the reality of how tough wintertime can be.

Forests that just a few months ago were green and lush while hosting a symphony of bird calls now appear mostly stark and deserted, little more than a collection of lonely, bare trees.

Fields that hosted countless wildflowers, alive with visiting bees and butterflies, are also now flat and mostly vacant except for a few lonesome stalks of dried weeds waving in the winter wind.

Even the shallows of streams and rivers that teemed with countless minnows, crayfish and aquatic insects during kinder weather seem devoid of life now too.

But while so many plants and animals are gone or at least dormant this time of year, there is certainly more to winter than outright bleakness.

The other side of winter is one that reveals a remarkable variety of creatures that soldier on despite the hardships of the season. Observing how those intrepid animals deal with the challenges of the season is quite fascinating. Most small mammals employ an underground burrow, a hollow tree or similar lodging to help them withstand the rigors of winter.

Not many birds have such secure dwellings.

While a few species will find shelter in hollow tree cavities, most winter birds simply roost in trees and shrubs.

Of all the wildlife that spends the winter here in central Pennsylvania, I think I marvel most at some of our wintertime birds.

Unlike some mammals, which can rely on their fat reserves to keep them going during lean times, birds have a high rate of metabolism and must eat virtually every day to fuel their bodies. Therefore, birds must spend most of their time and energy this time of year in quest of food in both fair and foul weather.

The menu options for winter birds in this part of the world are somewhat limited. Insect-eating species have long since migrated to warmer southern climates. Most Pennsylvania snowbirds subsist primarily on a diet of seed, nuts and similar plant material. Woodpeckers hammer away at trees and logs to find grubs and larvae.

Hawks and owls prey on other birds and small mammals, and the ubiquitous and resourceful crow will feed on anything from roadkill to waste grain.

Nasty winter weather often causes some well-meaning folks to put out food for winter wildlife.

Putting out food seems like a worthwhile and compassionate gesture, but in most cases doing so is bound to do more harm than good for any number of reasons.

In short, the conventional wisdom on this winter wildlife feeding is simply “don’t do it.”

Artificially feeding larger animals such as deer, elk and wild turkeys is especially discouraged for a host of reasons. The metabolisms of wild deer and elk adjust to the foods available to them as the seasons change throughout the year. Corn, wheat, barley and other grains high in carbohydrates typically aren’t part of the winter diet of deer or elk, so the animals won’t be able to digest such foods properly and eating quantities of them can be fatal to the animal.

Well-intended handouts of food for wildlife may also in fact be illegal in many cases. Since the discovery of Chronic Wasting Disease in 2012 in wild deer in Bedford and Blair counties, a Disease Management Area was established to help manage the spread of the disease.

One of the restrictions put in place was to make any feeding of wild deer in the DMA illegal. Unfortunately, CWD has spread widely, and the DMA now comprises almost all of south-central Pennsylvania.

The exception to not feeding winter wildlife, of course, is a backyard birdfeeder. Putting out seeds, suet and other winter bird foods on a regular basis will attract numbers of feathered visitors without making them too dependent on your offerings.

Cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, titmice, juncos, goldfinches and sparrows all readily will visit feeders, and downy and red-bellied woodpeckers will come to suet blocks.

When it comes to the winter feeding of songbirds, however, moderation is the best strategy. Putting out large quantities of food can not only become expensive in the long run but also can create the potential for problems for the birds themselves, especially if they have become dependent on your food source.

It is much better to put out modest amounts of food each day to attract birds regularly to your site and maintain that supplement throughout the winter.

Overall, the best and most beneficial way to attract wildlife to your property year-round is to plant things that will supply the natural food and cover.

And many of the wildflowers, shrubs and trees that will provide food and shelter to everything from butterflies to deer can be beautiful and add much aesthetic value to your property as well.

Winter is a good time to do some homework about what plants would be a good fit for the wildlife in your backyard once spring arrives.

Several good places to start learning about plantings for wildlife are the websites of the National Wild Turkey Federation (nwtf.org), the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (dcnr.pa.gov) and the Pennsylvania Game Commission (pgc.pa.gov).