Backyard birds in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Which birds visit Saskatoon yards, when they nest at this latitude, and when to be out for the dawn chorus, all worked out from Saskatoon's own coordinates.
- Coordinates
- 52.132°, -106.669°
- Population
- 266,141
- June 21 daylight
- 16 h 46 min
- December 21 daylight
- 7 h 43 min
- Sunrise mid-April / late June
- 6:11 AM / 4:45 AM
- Nesting vs state average
- roughly 3 days later than the state-wide average
- Hardiness zones (state)
- Canada 1a–3b
Nesting timing in Saskatoon
The state guides give nesting windows for Saskatchewan as a whole, weighted toward where most people live (about 51.4°N). Saskatoon is at 52.1°N. Going by Hopkins' bioclimatic law, spring events move about four days per degree of latitude, so breeding here starts roughly 3 days later than the state-wide average. Elevation and nearby water also play a part.
Daylight triggers breeding. Saskatoon goes from 7 h 43 min of daylight at the winter solstice to 16 h 46 min in June, a 9 h 2 min swing.
- Eastern Bluebird — state window May–August; box hole 1 1/2 in round (1 9/16 in for Mountain/Western overlap)
- Black-capped Chickadee — state window May–July; box hole 1 1/8 in round
- Purple Martin — state window June–July; box hole 1 3/4–2 1/8 in round, or starling-resistant crescent (3 × 1 3/16 in)
- Downy Woodpecker — state window May–June; box hole 1 1/4 in round
- Hairy Woodpecker — state window May–June; box hole 1 1/2 in round
- American Goldfinch — state window August–September
- White-breasted Nuthatch — state window May–June; box hole 1 1/4 in round
- House Wren — state window June–August; box hole 1 to 1 1/8 in round
- Purple Finch — state window June–July
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird — state window June–August
Birds you can expect in Saskatoon
Year-round residents (14)
Black-capped Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatchs, Purple Finchs, Pileated Woodpeckers, Red-breasted Nuthatchs, Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins, House Sparrows, European Starlings, Black-billed Magpies, Canada Jays, Eurasian Collared-Doves
Summer breeders (32)
Eastern Bluebirds, Purple Martins, American Goldfinchs, House Wrens, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Mourning Doves, American Robins, Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows, Northern Flickers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Common Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Gray Catbirds, Brown Thrashers, Cedar Waxwings, Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows, Eastern Phoebes, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Great Crested Flycatchers, Eastern Kingbirds, Spotted Towhees, Mountain Bluebirds, Say's Phoebes, Fox Sparrows, Lazuli Buntings, Bullock's Orioles
Winter visitors (2)
Very cold, dry winters.
When to watch: dawn chorus in Saskatoon
Songbirds sing hardest in the 30–60 minutes before sunrise, and most of all in spring. In Saskatoon, sunrise is around 6:11 AM in mid-April, 4:45 AM at the June solstice and 9:12 AM in late December (local time, America/Regina). Fill feeders the evening before so the first birds find food.
Native plants for Saskatoon yards
Red fruit heads hang on through winter.
Drought-hardy prairie oak with large acorns and a heavy insect load.
Late nectar for insects and fall seed for sparrows.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Catkin seed feeds redpolls and siskins all winter.
Fast-growing northern cherry with midsummer fruit.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.
Nearby cities in Saskatchewan
- North Battleford — 82 mi away, nesting roughly 3 days later than Saskatoon
- Prince Albert — 83 mi away, nesting roughly 4 days later than Saskatoon
- Moose Jaw — 129 mi away, nesting roughly 7 days earlier than Saskatoon
- Swift Current — 137 mi away, nesting roughly 7 days earlier than Saskatoon
- Regina — 146 mi away, nesting roughly 7 days earlier than Saskatoon
- Yorkton — 191 mi away, nesting roughly 4 days earlier than Saskatoon
Frequently asked
What birds live in Saskatoon all year?
Year-round residents across Saskatchewan include Black-capped Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Purple Finch. All of them visit backyard feeders in Saskatoon.
When do birds start nesting in Saskatoon?
Saskatoon sits at a different latitude from Saskatchewan's population centre, so nesting runs roughly 3 days later than the state-wide average, going by the rule of about 4 days per degree of latitude.
What time does the dawn chorus start in Saskatoon?
Songbirds start singing about 30–60 minutes before sunrise. In Saskatoon, sunrise is around 6:11 AM in mid-April and 4:45 AM in late June.
Sources
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Saskatchewan
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- GeoNames gazetteer (city coordinates & population)
- NOAA Solar Calculator methodology
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.