Spend time with birds and connect with our bird experts
Interested in learning more about Canada’s birds? Need some inspiration? Or have some to share? Spend some time with birds and our bird experts virtually here. New content will be uploaded regularly. Please share your birding stories or bird activities with us at jallair@birdscanada.org, or on social media and we’ll help share the inspiration!
Latest Features
BIRD BLITZ AT HOME: MAY 2020
From your backyard or balcony, garden or window, what birds can you find?
Explore the birds near you and participate in Bird Blitz at Home anytime during the month of May! It’s fun for all ages, participating is easy, and your observations help scientists monitor Canada’s birds! Watch this video tutorial to help get started.
ABA VIRTUAL BIRD CLUB: HEALTHY AT HOME, BIRDING
Jody Allair, Director of Citizen Science and Community Engagement at Birds Canada, joins Nate Swick of the American Birding Association to talk about birding at home. The current health emergency has challenged all of us to find ways to enjoy birding and support birds and Citizen Science, and Jody shares ideas on how we can all bird better during these strange times.
BIRDWATCH CANADA: SPRING 2020, NUMBER 91
BirdWatch Canada is a quarterly magazine featuring articles about the conservation of Canada’s wild birds and their habitats, as well as updates from Birds Canada and its projects.
We have made our Spring issue available to everyone online so that more people can enjoy birds from the safety of their home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Click to read the complete issue no. 91 of BirdWatch Canada magazine!
Articles
BIRDING FROM HOME – AN OPPORTUNITY
During the month of May, there is an astounding diversity of birds that may be flying over your roof, and potentially stopping over in your neighborhood.
THERE’S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO BE EBIRDING…FROM HOME
Here are some tips for maximizing your yard birding experience.
ESCAPE AND CONNECT
When daily life is disrupted, nature keeps on going. The world of spring bird song is open for exploration.
TOOLS TO HELP YOU GROW AS A BIRDER
There are online tools and apps to help you learn more about nearby birding locations, solve those tricky bird IDs, or document the birds you find.
Videos
ARMSTRONG BIRD OF THE MONTH
Learn about feeder birds with Birds Canada staff.
RICK MERCER REPORT VISITS LPBO
We dipped into the archives to bring you CBC’s Rick Mercer Report visiting the Long Point Bird Observatory. Rick joined Jody Allair and Stu Mackenzie back in October 2015 to learn hands-on about migration monitoring and bird banding.
Mark Cullen Gardening
Jody Allair joins Mark Cullen to talk about how to attract and support birds at your garden.
Activities for Families
BIRD IDENTIFICATION TOOL
Did you see a bird in your yard that you haven’t seen before? Create a downloadable and printable field guide customized for your location and time of year to help nail down an identification.
JUNIOR BIRDER GUIDE
Download and print your own Junior Birder Journal and Activity Guide! Learn about birds, how to identify them, and what you can do to protect birds in your neighborhood.
FOR THE BIRDS
Fun crafts you can make at home like do-it-yourself bird feeders, suet treats, and bird cookies to help out birds.
YARD BIRD BINGO
Yard Bird Bingo is a fun activity that will have you taking a closer look at your backyard.
Birds in Focus
Watch and learn more about birds and some of the work we do at Birds Canada.
WINGTIPS AT OUR FINGERTIPS: UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEX LIVES OF MIGRATORY ANIMALS
Stu Mackenzie, Director of Migration Ecology at Birds Canada, explains why the protection of migratory birds and their habitat requires a complete understanding of how they use landscapes and habitats throughout their full annual cycle.
THE CUTEST BIRD IN THE WORLD CAME TO TORONTO, WILL THEY BE BACK?
For years Piping Plovers have struggled to find beachfront real estate to raise their chicks. In 2018, they found the perfect spot within a constantly growing city… Toronto Island. Andrea Gress is the Ontario Piping Plover Conservation Program coordinator at Birds Canada.
Bird Identification for Beginners
This workshop covers basic birdwatching tools, fundamentals of bird ID, and an overview of some bird groups found in Saskatchewan and the Canadian Prairies. It was presented and recorded by LeeAnn Latremouille, Saskatchewan Breeding Bird Atlas Coordinator, Birds Canada.
Virtual birding
Enjoy birds from home with live feeds from nest and feeder cams or listen to audio recorded birding soundscapes.
NESTS
Watch live video of birds on the nest.
FEEDERS
Watch live video of birds at feeders.
SONGBIRDING PODCASTS
Immerse yourself in the beauty of bird song with these annotated soundscapes. Follow these links to get started: The Bruce Peninsula and Midsummer
Your Bird Moment
The Bonaparte’s Gull is the only gull to build a stick nest in a tree, usually a conifer. It also tends not to gorge on garbage or carrion, feeding on insects, fish, crustaceans, and molluscs instead. + “Your Bird Moment”
Your Bird Moment
Common Redpolls are small, acrobatic, and lively finches found in the northern boreal region during the summer. + “Your Bird Moment”
Your Bird Moment
Grebes have lobed (rather than webbed) feet – a feature that sets them apart from ducks and geese. Grebes’ feet are also set toward the back of their body, which is an adaptation for steering while diving. + “Your Bird Moment”
Your Bird Moment
The Tennessee Warbler is a renowned spruce budworm specialist, with breeding populations at certain sites known to increase as much as tenfold in five years in response to budworm outbreaks. + “Your Bird Moment”
Your Bird Moment
This stocky Buteo is easiest to spot during migration, when it forms spectacular “kettles” – swirling masses of soaring birds. + “Your Bird Moment”
YOUR BIRD MOMENT
The Yellow Warbler’s song is easy to remember. It sounds like it’s saying “sweet, sweet, sweet, I’m so sweet” – which is very fitting! + “YOUR BIRD MOMENT”
Your Bird Moment
The Least Flycatcher’s fiery attitude is well-concealed beneath a bland exterior. Birders sigh in frustration over the drab plumage that makes it nearly indistinguishable from other closely-related species. + “Your Bird Moment”
Your Bird Moment
As one of the largest, fastest, and most nimble eagles in North America, this raptor is able to target much larger prey than others. + “Your Bird Moment”
Your Bird Moment
This species is known for the “dance” it performs during courtship and territorial disputes. Two birds of the same sex face off and bop their heads, often while an individual of the opposite sex watches. + “Your Bird Moment”
Your Bird Moment
Canada Jays survive without fresh food for long periods by storing food at all times of year in thousands of widely-scattered caches throughout their territories. + “Your Bird Moment”
Your Bird Moment
The Evening Grosbeak might be one of the most misunderstood birds in North America. Even its name – meant to suggest that it sings only in the evening – is based on a misconception. + “Your Bird Moment”