How Do Black Bears Respond to Wind?

The black bear’s typical response to danger is to run or climb. Wind makes black bears nervous. It sounds like danger rustling in all directions. On windy days, they are more nervous and timid than usual and are particularly quick to leap up trees until they can determine if a rustling sound is wind or real danger.

Wind interferes with foraging because the bears must frequently stop, look, and listen for danger. Young bears often spend hours up trees on windy days.

The kind of tree most often used for refuge in northeastern Minnesota is a big white pine.