Milder winters are having an impact on at least one northern denizen familiar to many.

One might think that mild temperatures would be easier on many woodland creatures, but not so for the gregariousCanada jay—also known as the grey jay or whiskey jack.

Local naturalist and tourism operator Jared Clarke says grey jays are meat eaters and store any meat they scavenge to allow them to survive the winter months.

Warmer falls and early winters mean less meat to store, and as a result grey jay numbers are dropping in southern areas of their range.

The birds scavenge what they can and store it in trees where it freezes for use through the winter and into the spring. With warmer temperatures, that meat rots, leaving the birds with less food to eat.