When people ask “what animals hibernate,” they usually want two things:
a clear list of animals that truly hibernate, and
an easy way to understand what counts as hibernation (because many animals “sleep a lot” in winter, but that isn’t always true hibernation).
Here’s a complete, readable guide.
What Does “Hibernate” Mean?
Hibernation is a long period of reduced activity and metabolism that helps animals survive when food is scarce and temperatures are low. During hibernation, animals may:
lower their heart rate
breathe very slowly
reduce body temperature (in many species)
live off stored body fat
Some animals enter true hibernation (deep, long-lasting), while others use torpor (shorter, lighter “mini-hibernation”).
Animals That Hibernate (Common Examples)
Mammals that truly hibernate (or very close to it)
Ground squirrels (many species)
Marmots (including groundhogs/woodchucks)
Chipmunks (some species, depending on region)
Bats (many species in colder climates)
Hedgehogs (in cold regions)
Dormice
Hamsters (some species)
These are the animals most people mean when they say “hibernation.”
Do Bears Hibernate?
Bears are the most famous “hibernators,” but their winter sleep is often described as a special type of hibernation-like dormancy rather than the deepest form seen in small mammals.
What bears do in winter
They enter dens and dramatically slow down.
Their metabolism drops, and they live off body fat.
They can wake more easily than deep hibernators like ground squirrels.
So the short answer: Yes, bears hibernate in the common-language sense, but their physiology is often considered a bit different from “true hibernation” in smaller animals.
Animals That Hibernate Underwater (Brumation-like behavior)
Some cold-blooded animals don’t “hibernate” exactly like mammals, but they do enter a winter dormancy state called brumation.
Reptiles and amphibians that brumate
Snakes (many species in cold climates)
Turtles (some species)
Lizards (some species)
Frogs and toads
Salamanders
They slow down dramatically and survive winter by hiding in safe places like mud, burrows, rock crevices, or underwater.
What About Insects? (Winter Dormancy)
Many insects survive winter using diapause or dormancy rather than mammal-style hibernation.
Examples include:
Ladybugs
Monarch butterflies (migrate rather than hibernate, but overwinter in clusters)
Bees (queen survival strategies)
Certain moths and beetles
Their strategies are different (freezing tolerance, antifreeze-like chemicals, egg/larva overwintering), but the goal is the same: survive until conditions improve.
Birds: Do Any Birds Hibernate?
Almost no birds truly hibernate.
Most birds either:
migrate to warmer areas, or
stay active and adapt (like chickadees, owls, ravens)
One of the rare exceptions is that a few birds can enter short torpor, but full winter-long hibernation is not typical for birds.
Quick “Hibernate or Not?” List (High-Interest Animals)
Yes (commonly hibernate)
Groundhogs (woodchucks)
Marmots
Many bats
Many ground squirrels
Hedgehogs (in cold regions)
Sort of / winter dormancy
Bears (denning with reduced metabolism)
Raccoons (can become inactive for long periods but often wake and forage)
Skunks (reduced activity; not deep hibernation)
Snakes, frogs, turtles (brumation, not mammal hibernation)
Usually no
Deer, elk, moose (stay active; adjust movement and feeding)
Wolves, foxes (stay active)
Most birds (migrate or stay active)
Where Do Hibernating Animals Go?
Common hibernation locations:
underground burrows
hollow logs or tree cavities
caves (common for bats)
leaf piles and thick vegetation
underwater mud (some frogs and turtles)
The key is stable temperature and protection from predators.
FAQ: What Animals Hibernate?
What is the most common animal that hibernates?
Groundhogs (woodchucks) and many ground squirrels are classic examples in North America.
Do squirrels hibernate?
Some do, some don’t. Tree squirrels often stay active and rely on stored food, while many ground squirrels truly hibernate.
Do frogs hibernate?
Frogs don’t hibernate like mammals, but many enter brumation (winter dormancy), sometimes underwater or buried in mud.
Do snakes hibernate?
They brumate—often gathering in dens or rock crevices where temperatures are stable.
Do bears hibernate?
Yes in the everyday sense—bears enter a long winter dormancy in dens—but it’s different from deep hibernation in small mammals.
