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Winter Bird Lists, 2025-2026

Dec5

Tracking the winter birds of Alberta from December 1 to February 28.

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

It’s time for winter birding, and I will be helping to track the species seen in the Calgary area once again. Caroline Lambert provides a lot of assistance with the Calgary list, and also maintains the Bow Valley list.

-throated Sparrow
A White-throated Sparrow below the feeder in my yard, SE Calgary, 2 December 2025. Photo by Bob Lefebvre.

Caroline also maintains a website with up-to-date and historical data for each of the four lists. Here is more information on the lists, from Caroline:

Link to The Winter Bird Lists.

Calgary: The count area is the 80km radius count circle centred on Calgary, the same one used for the May species count. It is preferred that sightings during this count period and in the count area be reported to the email list, albertabird@groups.io (keeping in mind that certain sensitive species should not be openly reported), but we will also include species reported to eBird and elsewhere, if we can find them.

Bow Valley: this area includes both the Bow River and Kananaskis River watersheds, as far east as the Stoney Nakoda casino and Seebe Dam. Most sightings for this area are taken from the Bow Valley Birding Facebook group, but we will record sightings reported on this email list, Albertabird, eBird, Christmas Bird Counts, rumours on the street, etc. The Bow Valley has the lowest species count of any area, so we’ll accept any reputable report! This is the list Caroline maintains, so you can send reports of sightings to her.

Provincial list: Andy Ross is again taking care of the Alberta-wide list. Andy will collect sightings from the usual sources (eBird, Albertabird, the other winter lists, WhatsApp, etc.). 

The Edmonton list as shown on the albertawinterbirds.org site is kept by Vivek Dabral. Birds that are listed on the Edmonton list must be reported to the Edmonton Nature Club discussion group (ENCnaturetalk@groups.io) by an Edmonton Nature Club member. If you are in Edmonton and are interested in the club, more information can be found at edmontonnatureclub.org.

If you post your sightings to eBird it will be added to the appropriate list (except for the Edmonton one). If you see a significant species that has not already been found, you can report it as above, or email to birdscalgary@gmail.com.

Most of the common winter birds are found on December 1st or shortly thereafter. This year, we had 63 species on the first day in the Calgary circle. As of December 4th, we are at 75 species. Our average for the winter is 113, so there are still lots of birds to find!

Notable birds include a Spotted Towhee which was found on December 1st in Redwood Meadows (and had been there for a while). It is only the second Calgary winter record in the nine years of the count. If you are building your own winter list, you might want to head to Carburn Park for the Harlequin Duck, which has only been reported there, and for some uncommon ducks. Wilson’s Snipe has only been reported from Douglasbank Park. Brown-Lowery Park has again produced an American Three-toed Woodpecker, and is a good place to try for Black-backed Woodpecker as well (not seen yet).

As of December 4th, the list totals are: Alberta 97, Calgary 75, Edmonton 43, Bow Valley 32.

I’ll do an update with more sightings and missing targets in a week or so. Good winter birding!

Count Birds in Your Yard For the Christmas Bird Count!

Nov30

Spend 30 minutes counting birds on December 14th for the Calgary CBC.

We always like to have as many birders as possible go out in the field on Count Day, and this is how we get the majority of our birds and species. But field teams operate mostly in parks in the city (though we do have some diligent counters who drive residential back alleys!), and there are large areas of the city that are not covered in this way . That’s where the Feeder Watchers come in.

As a Feeder Watcher, you simply count the birds you see in or from your yard on Count Day. We ask that you spend at least 30 minutes counting in total, though you can spend much more time if you wish. Every year our Feeder Watchers see a good number of species, including usually one or two that are not found by the field teams. So they are an important part of the Count, and they do help to fill in the gaps in our coverage.

We can really use more people to watch at their feeders this year. If you have participated in the past, you still have to register this year to be included.

Register here!

Below is an animated look at the tracks of the field teams in 2024. As Matt Wallace says in this Instagram post, it only includes 190 out of the 218 eBird tracks of field teams, which accounts for some of the large gaps in coverage. But look at all the residential spaces in between the tracks! There are a lot of birds in those areas, and we’d like to count them. (If this doesn’t play on your device, try this link: Instagram.)

In addition, the field teams are all located within the Count Circle, which has a 24-km diameter. We want to cover that circle as fully as possible. But over the years the city has expanded beyond the boundaries of the circle, leaving many willing backyard observers outside the Count. We have started to include observations by Feeder Watchers who are in the city but outside of the circle as part of our Community Christmas Bird Count. Those observations cannot be counted in the official Audubon count, but we feel that it is important to do this to get a more complete picture of the winter birds in our city, and to involve as many people as possible.

Please fill out the registration form if you’d like to take part, either as a Feeder Watcher inside or outside the city, or as part of a field team.

Bonus Read: Below is a link to a recent article about the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary in the Calgary Journal which includes an interview with CBC organizer Matt Wallace.

Calgary Journal link

Registration link for the Calgary Christmas Bird Count

Nov30

Here is a link to the form to fill out to register to join the count, or even if you just want more information:

Register Here for the 2025 Calgary CBC.

Trumpeter Swan

2025 Calgary Christmas Bird Count

Nov3

Register now to take part on Sunday December 14th!

One of the Field Teams at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary during the 2024 CBC. Photo by Paul Dang.

The 74th annual Calgary Christmas Bird Count (CBC YYC) will take place on Sunday, December 14, 2025. Here is a message from Coordinator Matt Wallace:

As you may know, Calgary hosts one of the largest CBCs in Alberta and Western Canada. In 2024, we had a total of 141 field participants and 163 feeder watchers, documenting 71 species and counting 39,446 individual birds. It’s a big job that takes an army of people to ensure its success each year. We hope you’ll join us again this season—no matter your experience or birding skills. Each one of you plays an important role, and the data we collect helps us understand long-term trends in our winter birds.

We’ve set up a Google Form that we kindly ask everyone to fill out so we have your most up-to-date information for analysis and team assignments. Please share the registration form widely with your network of neighbours, friends, family, and colleagues. Register Here. Once you submit your registration you will receive an acknowledgement email from us, followed by further instructions in mid-November.

A quick note: This year, I am seeking a “shadow” assistant (or assistants) to work with our organizing team. I plan to hand off the CBC Coordinator role to an inspired member of our community for the 2026 Calgary event, as I may be relocating in the new year. Finding a suitable successor will help ensure the continued success and legacy of this long-running event.

Sharp-shinned Hawk
A Sharp-shinned Hawk from the 2024 Count. Photo by Ken Pride.

Birds Canada has also launched a pilot project encouraging CBC circles to have Community Engagement Leaders (CELs). Calgary has been ahead of the curve in this regard—this has essentially been my role in recent years, while Lara Fitzpatrick has handled much of the data analysis for our circle. Bob Lefebvre is another key member of our team, overseeing feeder watcher outreach and following up on notable or unusual bird reports.

Birds Canada: The CEL roles are defined as:

  • Participant recruitment and community outreach
  • Helping manage sector/section/zone assignments and coordination
  • Onboarding new participants and facilitating mentoring
  • Coordinating communications with participants

This pretty much sums up what we are looking for in the “Shadow Assistant” Role with this person leading the charge next year. If you’re interested in taking on the coordinator role, there’s an option on the registration form where you can indicate your interest and provide a few details. We’ll be in touch right away to include you in this year’s planning. We encourage anyone with an interest to apply!

Bald Eagle
A Bald eagle from the 2024 Count. Photo by Andrew Hart.

Please watch for more information in November, including data submission instructions and templates.

A quick reminder that our CBC is open to anyone with an interest in the outdoors including experienced birders, novices, and the public. We try to accommodate all abilities and ages to grow and support our community, so please let us know if you need any assistance or have any requests using the comment section of the form.

Gadwall, from the 2024 Count. Photo by Andrew hart.

Register for the Calgary CBC here: https://forms.gle/pcAU6tH7Vcfk63sV9

Thank you very much for your attention—we’re looking forward to connecting with you all for our big count day!

No Costume Needed: Meet the Northern Shrike, the Bird of Halloween

Oct19

By Catherine Warwick

The most “Halloween” bird around is the Northern Shrike, aka, the “butcher bird”. Although it is a Passerine, which is a perching songbird, it has rejected the usual cutesy song-bird personality and instead is a merciless hunter. Not only does it hunt other birds, but it is known to rip its kill to shreds and impale pieces of the body on barb wire fences and tree branches. I don’t think a bird can get more grisly than that, it would even make a Crow shudder. It needs no costume to strike fear in a little bird’s heart, however it does sport a small black mask and a heavy hooked beak.

Northern Shrike
Northern Shrike, showing its black mask and sharply hooked bill. Grand Valley Road, NW of Cochrane, April 20, 2013. Photo by Dan Arndt.

The Northern Shrike will scout out a nest or mouse hole and wait to strike. If it’s after a flying bird it may force it to the ground with its feet. Then it makes the kill with its hooked beak. In its upper bill (at the front) it has a vampirish toothlike spike, called a tomial tooth, that it uses to break the necks of its prey. 

The Shrike spends its summer in the far north and just comes to Calgary for the winter, that’s how tough it is. Apparently, it finds our “balmy” -20°C days pleasant.

Northern Shrike
“Vlad the Impaler” with a bit of songbird in its beak. Photo by Ron Ostrander, Carburn Park, Calgary, 2024.
Northern Shrike
The same bird as above, after impaling the bit of meat on a branch. Photo by Ron Ostrander, Carburn Park, Calgary, 2024.

Ron saw the pictured Northern Shrike at Carburn Park last winter.  Shrikes are known to return to the same winter territory year after year, so keep an eye out; you might see this tiny terror perched high atop a tree, scanning for its next victim.

In the summer they will head back to the far north to nest. One sweet fact about this bird – their nest is a deep cup that, when the female is in it, only her tail can be seen.

This winter get your binoculars ready to see a real horror icon: the Northern Shrike.

-Cathy

Northern Shrike
Northern Shrike. Castor, Alberta, April 4, 2017. Photo by Dan Arndt.

Note: The Northern Shrike has a summertime lookalike, the Loggerhead Shrike. Northern Shrikes are in our area from early October to late April. Loggerheads arrive in mid-May and can sometimes be seen into September. There is the possibility of a little overlap in May and September. Loggerhead Shrikes are a little smaller than Northerns, and have a clear breast without the barring of the Northern. They have a smaller bill with a tip that is less hooked, but they share the feeding habits of the Northern Shrike. -Bob

Loggerhead Shrike
Loggerhead Shrike, June 22, 2022. Photo by Dan Arndt.

Ghosted By A Sora

Sep8

By Catherine Warwick

One of the birds leaving Calgary this September is the Sora. Were you one of the lucky few who saw it at the North Glenmore storm pond?

Sora
Sora. USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

A few years ago I saw one of these charismatic birds at Inglewood, I was with my sister who is not really a birder. The conversation went like this:

(a Sora just casually standing in a pond in full view)

Me: Holy Cow! A Sora! Wow I can’t believe it, look at it! Wow! We are so lucky, how rare!

Sister: That’s nice.

Me: We are so lucky! This is amazing!

Sister: Uh huh (starts walking).

And yet if she became a birder and started looking for a Sora it would probably take years to see one. I trolled that North Glenmore Storm pond so many times this summer and nothing! The Sora is one of those birds only birders know about. Even though they are common they are really good at hiding in the reeds.

Sora
Sora, Valleyview Park, SE Calgary, 2008. Photo by Bob Lefebvre.

The Sora is a plump little chicken-like bird that belongs to the Rail family. They frequent ponds and wetlands. The Sora has very long toes that help them walk on floating mats of vegetation. They are grey and brown with an impossibly yellow triangle beak. The first time I saw one at the storm pond I thought it was floating because it was standing in water that came up to its undercarriage. I was flipping through my Sibleys looking for a duck with a yellow triangle beak. The most obvious identifier is their call, a descending laughing sound. Although lately I feel like the Red Winged Blackbirds around the storm pond are mimicking it which has caused me a lot of disappointment. Birding – what a roller coaster!

When a Sora walks it puts its head forward with each step as it looks for aquatic plant seeds or bugs to eat. It’s been known to use its long toes to rake the vegetation. Their long legs are great for running away really quickly, often you will just get a glimpse of them. A brown blur with a yellow streak.

Sora
Sora. Photo by Diane Stinson, June 2, 2025, North Glenmore Park.

Now that it’s September our little storm pond Sora will be departing on a very long journey, possibly as far as South America. They fly further than any other Rail despite their circular form and long legs. Hopefully it is back next year and I can have another season of attempting to spot the beguiling Sora.

Birds & Beers, June 12th, 2025

Jun4

Next Thursday, June 12th, join us for The Big Birding Quiz of the Year!!

For the last Birds & Beers of the spring/summer season, we will be meeting as usual at the Royal Canadian Legion at 9202 Horton Road SW, from 5 to 9 pm. Instead of a presentation this time, we will have a birding quiz starting at about 7 pm.

Come early if you want to eat, drink, and socialize, and then at about 7 pm Joan Walker will host a special Trivial Pursuit-style “Wing and Feather” Night. A night when we can share our knowledge of our feathered friends, and perhaps gain some new insights into their unique habits and behaviors.

This promises to be a lot of fun! Each table, whether four, five, or six people, will be a team, and the teams compete to get to a certain number of correct answers. Questions will be on any birding topic, but weighted towards local birds. Songs and calls may be involved! And there will be some surprises too!

Joan introducing last month’s talk at Birds & Beers. (This shows about half of the 96 attendees.) This time, we will stay at our tables and take part in a birding quiz.

Everyone is welcome to join us, even children if accompanied by an adult.

Birds & Beers takes a break in the summer and will resume in September. I will post the schedule and upcoming presentation topics once they are booked.

Birds & Beers, May 22, 2025

May15

With a presentation on Birding By Ear by Annie Finch.

Next Thursday’s Birds & Beers will feature a presentation by Annie Finch on Bird Sounds: Birding Better by Ear. Birding by ear is an extremely important skill, and one which many birders find difficult to master. Annie is a great birder and really knows bird calls and songs. She will teach us how to use apps and online resources to hone our skills, and will give practical advice on identifying and finding birds in the field. She will also go into recording bird sounds and contributing sounds to online databases.

Western Meadowlark, Weed Lake, April 30, 2017. Photo by Gavin McKinnon.

Birds & Beers is a social gathering of birders that is open to anyone. We meet at the Legion at 9202 Horton Road SW. The ballroom is open at 5 pm and the presentation will be at about 7 pm. Everyone is welcome!

Calgary and Area May Species Count

May4

There are still some areas that need observers. Please volunteer to help count on May 24th and 25th.

Posted by Bob Lefebvre

Bobolink
A Bobolink I photographed on the May Species Count near Longview in 2023. I was shooting through some trees, and the leaves caused an unusual bokeh. Photo by Bob Lefebvre.

The last weekend in May is the annual May Species Count in the Calgary region. The count covers a huge area – a circle 80 km in radius centred in downtown Calgary. The circle is divided into about 50 territories that each need to be covered by a birder or birders.

Calgary May Species Count map
The Calgary May Species Count circle.

As of today, there are still some areas that are in need of observers. This includes some smaller areas within the city, as well as some longer walks such as the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, Elliston Lake, and the 68 Street Wetlands east of Elliston. These are great territories!

All that is required is that you try to cover your area as fully as possible, and record all the birds you see on eBird.

If you are interested in helping out, please contact Andrew Hart at andrewhartch[at]gmail[dot]com or call 403.608.8918. Andrew will provide detailed but simple instructuons, and can assist you with eBird if you are new to it.

In addition to the areas that have no coverage, if you would like to join an existing group with experienced leaders to show you how the count is done, Andrew may be able to place you in one of these.

Please volunteer so that we have complete coverage of the count circle!

Birds & Beers, April 10, 2025

Apr4

Featuring a presentation by Jody Allair on the state of Canada’s Birds.

The next Birds & Beers meetup is next Thursday, April 10th. This is a social get-together of birders, open to everyone. We meet at the Royal Canadian Legion at 9202 Horton Road SW in Calgary. Doors to the big ballroom open at 5 pm. If you can, come early to socialize, eat and drink.

Jody Allair of Birds Canada.

At about 7 pm there will be a presentation by Jody Allair of Birds Canada. The topic is “The State of Canada’s Birds and actions we can take to help our feathered friends.”

Jody Allair with a Bald Eagle.

About Jody Allair:

Jody is an avid birder and naturalist who enjoys sharing his enthusiasm for the natural world. He has been birding and banding since his teens, when he began volunteering at Long Point Bird Observatory (LPBO) in Southern Ontario. He is now the Director of Communications at Birds Canada where he manages the organization’s public relations and media, is the co-editor of BirdWatch Canada Magazine, producer of the Warblers Podcast and a coordinator of eBird Canada.

Over the years Jody has coordinated a variety of different bird-related projects including the Southern Ontario Bald Eagle Monitoring Program, the Ontario Nocturnal Owl Survey, Birds Canada’s Youth Education Program, and the Southern Ontario Forest Birds at Risk Program.

Jody regularly speaks about birds and conservation to audiences across Canada and has written numerous articles on birds, birding and connecting with nature. He is the monthly birding columnist for CBC Radio’s Daybreak Alberta, has appeared on CBC’s Rick Mercer Report, presented at Ideacity, was a featured bird expert on Season 2 of the Love Nature Television series ‘Battle of the Alphas’ and is a regular guest, and occasional guest host, on the American Birding Association podcast.

In addition to his 20+ years at Birds Canada, he has been leading birding tours with Eagle-Eye Tours since 2008.

See you on Thursday!