The Best Cities for Birding in Canada
Urban birding is definitely a thing. There’s no need to travel to far away forests or large open bodies of water as honestly, birds are almost everywhere. Knowing where to find particular species is key, and city trails and green spaces are perfect places to start.
Grab your binoculars, download a bird identification app (such as Merlin Bird ID or eBird) and start building your life list in Canada’s biggest urban birding hot spots.
Vancouver
Bird watching opportunities abound in Vancouver due to its proximity to water, abundance of parks, mild climate and location along the Pacific Flyway (a.k.a. a bird migratory superhighway).
Liron Gertsman, a resident birder, photographer and guide recommends Stanley Park. With habitat diversity and 230 species noted, he says to “keep a look out for nesting Great Blue Herons near the tennis courts and make your way to the wetlands of Beaver Lake and Lost Lagoon where you can see one of the most beautiful species, the Wood Duck.” Another favourite is Queen Elizabeth Park, “an island of green habitat in the middle of an urban jungle,” which sees a few reliable rarities including the Calliope Hummingbird and Red-naped Sapsucker.
Anna’s Hummingbird, the city’s official bird, can be found almost anywhere in the city from neighbourhoods to parks, year-round.
Check out the BC Bird Trail, a fantastic resource for scouting additional locations.
Calgary
Thanks to an incredible trail system following the Bow River, getting around Calgary and spotting birds is easy. Head to the River Trails of 31-acre St. Patrick’s Island to see species such as Osprey, Northern Flickers and Cedar Waxwings.
Find numerous migratory birds at the Inglewood Migratory Bird Sanctuary along 2.3 kilometres of hiking trails. Home to 270 species of birds, the sanctuary is a resting place for mixed flocks that include warblers, chickadees, vireos, kinglets, nuthatches and woodpeckers. Waterfowl and shorebirds like Buffleheads and Wilson’s snipes are also common.
Spot passerines (perching birds) and peregrines at the University of Calgary campus or go to Nose Hill Park to see raptors such as Swainson’s or Red-tailed hawks. Long-Eared, Great-horned and Saw-Whet Owls, and eagles can also be seen at the lagoon in Carburn Park, in southeast Calgary.
Regina
Located on the North American Central Flyway, one of the continent’s four major migratory bird routes, Regina is teeming with bird life. The 4.2-kilometre loop in A.E. Wilson Park and Boreal Island is a top spot to see nesting migrants. Nearly two hundred species, including Baltimore Orioles, Palm Warblers, Northern Flickers, Brown Thrashers, Gray Catbirds and a whole host of waterfowl, have been recorded.
A walk around scenic Wascana Park pays off with migration bringing in waves of warblers, gulls, sparrows and waterfowl. Waterfowl Park, a 223-hectare marsh within Wascana has display ponds (open until September) home to captive and injured waterfowl such as Snow Geese and American Pelicans. Cormorants, finches, warblers and woodpeckers are there too. Closer to downtown alongside the creek, is Les Sherman Park, where Common Yellowthroats, Downy Woodpeckers, Eastern Kingbirds and Warbling Vireos can be viewed along the 1.9-kilometre loop trail.
Fun fact: Peregrine Falcons have nested at Regina’s City Hall since the 90s!
Toronto
It may be the big city, but because it has so many urban parks, Toronto is home to many hot spots for feathered friends. Start out at Tommy Thompson Park, a designated bird area and favourite among local birdwatchers that has seen over 300 species. Visitors include gulls, cormorants, pelicans, waterfowl and shorebirds.
Sometimes hot spots aren’t always obvious. Take Cedarvale Ravine, this non-secluded area has a cattail marsh and forest which attracts birds all year long such as finches, woodpeckers and brilliantly hued Northern Cardinals. Mount Pleasant Cemetery’s lush greenery attracts flycatchers, thrushes and warblers.
Hop over to Toronto Island to explore the 40 hectares and see mergansers, goldfinches and raptors. And lastly, include High Park which is home to birds year-round but is especially rich during migration seasons with geese, swans, starlings, mallards and hawks.
St. John’s
St. John’s is a bird lover’s paradise, especially for seabirds but also boasts incredible diversity. Start with a drive down Cochrane Pond Road to see species such as Wilson’s Snipes to Blackpoll Warblers, Swamp Sparrows, Great-Horned Owls, Yellow-Bellied Flycatchers and more. You can add Fox Sparrows and Canada Jays to your list over at Pippy Park.
Bidgood Park is a well-groomed trail with a marsh and forests lined with cinnamon ferns, pitcher plants and other wildflowers. Find birds such as Black-backed Woodpeckers, Boreal Chickadees, American Bitterns and Northern Waterthrush.
Don’t miss the seabirds! Hike Cape Spear, the easternmost point of North America to catch sight of iconic Atlantic Puffins, Razorbills, Black-legged Kittiwakes and Black Guillemots. Local birdwatcher and guide Jared Clarke suggests that “late summer is a great time to look for “pelagic” species which are normally far out to sea, such as Great and Sooty Shearwaters (known locally as hagdowns or bawks) and the surprisingly tiny Leach’s Storm-petrel.”
Happy birdwatching!
Disclaimer: Jenn Smith Nelson is an avid birder and has visited all these destinations. She was hosted as media in Calgary and St. John’s.