No, Buffalo Don't Know to Walk Into a Storm. And That's Not a Buffalo.

An "inspirational quote" about how buffalo behave in a storm has been stalking me on social media over the past few weeks. I'm a sucker for a good kick in the rear end to motivate me, but not at the expense of tall tales and random assumptions. The buffalo quote goes something like this.

"Buffalo are the only animal that run into a storm rather than away from it because they instinctively know that walking into the storm will get them out of the weather quicker."

Sure, that sounds motivating enough to be more like the buffalo, only there are so many things left out of context here, including the fact that not one of them has a photo of an actual buffalo.

There are more "don't let the truth get in the way of a good quote" to point out, so let's see what's really so inspiring about this behemoth mammal.

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Buffalo vs. Bison

First, let's start with the buffalo. More specifically, the difference between a bison and a buffalo.

This is a Buffalo. There are absolutely none in the United States (barring a zoo or wildlife sanctuary). You cannot go home where the buffalo roam anywhere in America.

True buffalo are native to Africa and Asia—the Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer) and the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), respectively.

This is a Bison. It's a whole different species. We can blame French fur trappers in the 1600s for starting a long legacy of the wrong name for bison.

There are two main species: American bison (Bison bison) and European bison (Bison bonasus).

We call bison “buffalo” because early European settlers in North America mistook them for the buffalo they knew from Africa and Asia. The name stuck, even though bison and true buffalo are different species.

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Do Bison "Instinctively Know" to Walk Into a Storm?

Now let's focus on the "they instinctively know that walking into the storm will get them out of the weather quicker." Bison don’t “walk into storms” because they’re enlightened—they do it because their bodies are built for it.

• HEAD & SHOULDERS: Bison have massive shoulder humps that help them plow through deep snow or fierce wind.

• COAT OF HAIR: Thick, dense coats offer insulation that surpasses modern outdoor gear. Each fall, their fur grows in layers: a woolly undercoat for warmth and a coarse top layer that sheds rain, snow, and wind.

• SKIN: Their skin is so tough it helps block wind chill, and their metabolisms slow down in winter to conserve energy.

In thunderstorms or even near tornado-level winds, they’ll often huddle or face into the wind instead of fleeing—it keeps their bulk stable and their eyes on incoming danger. During blizzards, they lower their heads and use their foreheads to sweep snow aside to forage. Without these evolved body parts, the herd would starve during winter.

These aren’t acts of insight—they’re survival mechanisms hardwired into a body designed to endure some of North America's harshest conditions.

What If Bison Didn't Face the Storm?

It’s not because they’re making some calculated choice to get through it faster. It’s more about how they’re built: their thick coats and powerful fronts are designed to handle brutal conditions head-on.

Turning away would expose their less-protected hindquarters and make it harder to see or brace against the wind. So, while it looks like they’re courageously charging into the storm, it’s really that nature equipped them to endure it better from the front.

Cattle typically run away from storms, which is part instinct and part vulnerability. Unlike bison, cattle aren’t as physically equipped to handle extreme weather head-on. They lack the dense, layered fur and muscular build that lets bison withstand intense cold, wind, or snow.

While the theme of the buffalo quote stans to reason in many ways, it's worth noting that cattle are also acting out of instinct. A long storm is worth it if facing the storm would mean just as much, if not more, danger.

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How Other Animals Behave Before and During Storms

Birds can sense changes in barometric pressure and will often hunker down in dense vegetation or fly away before a storm hits. Some species, like frigatebirds, can soar above hurricanes by riding air currents at high altitudes. Shorebirds will migrate early if a major system is coming.

Elephants have been observed moving to higher ground days before tsunamis or major storms.

This is likely due to their ability to detect infrasound—low-frequency vibrations that humans can’t hear.

Sharks and some fish species will dive deeper into the ocean to escape the turbulence of tropical storms following changes in pressure and water temperature.

Turtles, especially sea turtles, may delay nesting or change behavior during storm season, and hatchlings are sometimes guided by magnetic fields, avoiding high surf zones.

Insects like bees and ants tend to return to or seal off their nests before storms. Some even sense humidity and pressure drops.

Bears hibernate not just to avoid cold but because winter wipes out their food supply—they conserve energy by slowing their metabolism until resources return. It’s less about escaping storms and more about surviving seasonal scarcity.

Prairie dogs and ground squirrels retreat into deep burrows that buffer against cold, wind, and flooding. Their underground homes act like natural storm shelters.

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So, What's the Real Lesson We Can Learn from Bison in a Storm?

The real lesson from the bison isn’t about charging into storms with blind courage—it’s about knowing what you’re built for and leaning into it when things get hard. Bison face storms head-on not because they’re fearless, but because their bodies are designed to endure the hit. That’s not bravado—it’s biology.

In life, we all face storms—grief, burnout, heartbreak, change—and there’s no one right way through them. Some people, like bison, are wired to push forward. Others need to pause, gather themselves, or find shelter in a trusted circle.

The key isn’t copying someone else’s reaction—it’s recognizing your own strengths, instincts, and tools, and using them. Weathering the storm isn’t about heroics. It’s about survival, honesty, and self-awareness. Whether you stand still or run toward it, what matters is that you trust yourself to come out the other side. That’s the bison’s wisdom—and it’s ours, too.

Don't believe me? Try using your neck and head to shovel snow during the next winter storm.