Alberta · 54.72°N

Birds of Athabasca

What has actually been seen around Athabasca: 163 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 163 within 6 mi
Observation records: 2,119 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Black-capped Chickadee
Busiest month: June
Elevation: 1,752 ft
Daylight, June / December: 17.3 h / 7.2 h

What the records say about Athabasca

163 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Athabasca (Alberta) since 2010, across 2,119 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-capped Chickadee, Common Raven and Blue Jay.

Athabasca is backyard-bird country: 82% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Black-capped Chickadee, Common Raven, Blue Jay and Black-billed Magpie make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

18 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Bald Eagle and Red-tailed Hawk.

Records peak in June and are lowest in January — about 19.6 times as many in the busiest month. Part of that is birds (migrants and breeding arrivals), part is people: more birders are out in good weather, so treat the curve as activity, not a census.

Westlock, 46 mi to the south-west, has fewer species on record (131 against 163). Birds logged far more often around Athabasca than there include Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Evening Grosbeak and American Goldfinch.

At about 1,752 ft above sea level, Athabasca sits higher than most places in Alberta. Spring arrives a little later with height, and feeders matter more in cold snaps — keep a supply of high-fat food going through late winter and early spring.

Daylight runs from 17 h 19 min at midsummer to 7 h 14 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:32 AM in mid-April and 4:55 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Athabasca

#	Bird	Records
1	Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus	141
2	Common RavenCorvus corax	113
3	Blue JayCyanocitta cristata	96
4	Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia	92
5	American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos	77
6	American RobinTurdus migratorius	70
7	Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens	51
8	Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosus	45
9	Pine SiskinSpinus pinus	42
10	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	41
11	Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis	39
12	Common RedpollAcanthis flammea	38
13	White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis	35
14	White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis	35
15	Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis	35
16	Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertina	34
17	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	34
18	Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis	33
19	Song SparrowMelospiza melodia	33
20	American GoldfinchSpinus tristis	33

Records by month

What to put out in Athabasca

Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.

Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
Common Raven
Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
Blue Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
Black-billed Magpie
Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn
American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets

Seasonal bird notes for Alberta

What's arriving, what to feed and when to clean feeders, written for Canadian backyards. One email a month at most.

Nearby places

Frequently asked

What birds visit backyards in Athabasca?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Athabasca are Black-capped Chickadee, Common Raven, Blue Jay, Black-billed Magpie and American Crow, based on 2,119 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Athabasca?

163 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).

When is the best month for birds in Athabasca?

Observation records peak in June and are lowest in January. Sunrise in late June is around 4:55 AM.

Sources

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.