Winter is a special season. It’s a time to huddle close, stay warm indoors with family and friends and find ways to keep out the cold, dry air. Sometimes we might venture out to enjoy the snow on a hill or mountain slope, and marvel at the magic of fresh-fallen, clean powder sparkling on the trees, but soon return inside for warmth.

As mammals, we might assume that our winter patterns are similar to many of the animals that share our environment. The bears, squirrels and birds should also be hunkered down for the cold season, limiting their activities outdoors to only the most necessary. But there are surprising ways in which the natural world is still lively and dynamic in the winter months — some of which are accessible to families willing to brave the chill for a special experience.

There are so many benefits to getting outdoors and spending time in nature. But how should you get started observing the natural world in the coldest season? Isn’t this the wrong time of year for that sort of thing, anyway?

Actually, winter is the perfect time for beginners to learn about wildlife in their neighborhoods. Many birds are more visible in winter. When the leaves are off the trees, the bold little black-capped chickadees, bright northern cardinals and flocks of dark-eyed juncos are much easier to spot. Whether you hang up bird feeders to attract them to your yard, or simply take a walk in a park, you are bound to encounter the variety of birds who stick it out in New England through the winter.

But what if you or your family are not already confident in identifying the things you see? You really don’t have to be an expert to find value in exploring your backyard. Make your learning experience a family affair: take a trip to your local library to check out a field guide to help you put names to the feathery faces you encounter.

Field guides aren’t just for the birds either: some can help you identify animal tracks, such as those left behind in the fresh snow. Though it’s hard to catch a glimpse of a bobcat, it’s much easier to marvel at the lovely, rounded print one left behind a few hours ago on the edge of the woods. I would never have dreamed that a moose might have walked through my backyard in Windsor until I stumbled across the unmistakable tracks in the snow a few years ago.

The best time to go out looking for tracks is just after a light snowfall so that they will be at their clearest and most well defined. In addition to your field guide or camera, bring a ruler with you — not only to measure the tracks themselves, but the distance between each track, or the stride length of the animal. These will help you figure out exactly which animal walked by hours earlier right where you are standing now.

Even so, using a field guide for the first time can be daunting. Some field guides are not as accessible to beginners as others and it can be hard to find just the right balance. But there is a completely different tool that has made identifying any species you see a lot easier. The free app iNaturalist lets you take a picture of any plant or animal — or evidence of an animal, such as a track — and upload it to their database. The app will offer a suggested identification right then and there. The photo will also be shared with a community of naturalists who can confirm the identification or offer other suggestions to what the creature might be. There is even a kid-friendly version of iNaturalist called Seek, which lets you earn badges for finding different species, adding a game-like element to encourage further outdoor exploration and learning.

Finally, a great winter activity to connect you directly with your wildlife neighbors is “owling.” Late in winter — far too early to be considered spring — owls begin to move into the parts of the forest where they will build a nest, and thus need to establish their territory. Maybe you’ve heard the distinctive, barking “who cooks for you?” hoots of the barred owl, and wondered in the wee hours of the morning, what exactly are they going on about? An owl’s hoot is its way of telling other owls about the boundaries of its territory, or advertising a nest site. They are essentially saying, “I am the barred owl that lives in these woods!”

We humans can take brief advantage of this communication, in order to be treated to a good look at these camouflaged creatures. If you practice, you can venture outside and recreate the rhythm of a barred owl’s hoot with your own voice, in response to their calls. Hearing such a surprising declaration may cause the owl to fly in for a closer look at this imposter. Be careful not to overdo this calling, as you may convince the owl to leave your “territory” with too-frequent hooting.

If you want to see how this works firsthand, consider signing up for an “Owl Prowl” with the Vermont Institute of Natural Science. This nighttime hike with two VINS naturalists is happening twice: on Feb. 28 and March 14. (Even if no wild owls respond to the hooting, you’ll get to meet one of the VINS Ambassador Owls before the hike.)

Whenever and wherever you go outside in the winter, be sure to dress warmly and bring plenty of water. You might be surprised to find how much there is to see outside in the winter.

Anna Morris is the director of Wildlife Ambassador Programs at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science in Quechee.