Alberta · 50.69°N

Birds of Black Diamond

What has actually been seen around Black Diamond: 216 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 216 within 6 mi
Observation records: 32,774 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Black-billed Magpie
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 3,872 ft
Daylight, June / December: 16.5 h / 8 h

What the records say about Black Diamond

216 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Black Diamond (Alberta) since 2010, across 32,774 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-billed Magpie, Black-capped Chickadee and House Sparrow.

Black Diamond is backyard-bird country: 79% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Black-billed Magpie, Black-capped Chickadee, House Sparrow and Common Raven make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

20 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red-tailed Hawk, Rough-legged Buzzard and Bald Eagle.

Records peak in May and are lowest in January — about 7.1 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.

Turner Valley, 3 mi to the south-west, has a similar number of species on record (218 against 216).

At about 3,872 ft above sea level, Black Diamond 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 16 h 30 min at midsummer to 7 h 58 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:44 AM in mid-April and 5:23 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Black Diamond

#	Bird	Records
1	Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia	1,912
2	Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus	1,679
3	House SparrowPasser domesticus	1,605
4	Common RavenCorvus corax	1,416
5	American RobinTurdus migratorius	1,374
6	American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos	1,201
7	Blue JayCyanocitta cristata	1,003
8	Northern FlickerColaptes auratus	829
9	European StarlingSturnus vulgaris	826
10	Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus	823
11	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	756
12	Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis	686
13	Eurasian Collared-DoveStreptopelia decaocto	681
14	Tree SwallowTachycineta bicolor	521
15	Clay-colored SparrowSpizella pallida	495
16	Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens	483
17	Rough-legged BuzzardButeo lagopus	481
18	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	471
19	American GoldfinchSpinus tristis	428
20	House WrenTroglodytes aedon	426

Records by month

What to put out in Black Diamond

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

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

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 Black Diamond?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Black Diamond are Black-billed Magpie, Black-capped Chickadee, House Sparrow, Common Raven and American Robin, based on 32,774 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Black Diamond?

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

When is the best month for birds in Black Diamond?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in January. Sunrise in late June is around 5:23 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.