Birds of Bow Island

117 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Bow Island (Alberta) since 2010, across 447 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mourning Dove, American Robin and Western Meadowlark.

Bow Island is backyard-bird country: 60% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Mourning Dove, American Robin, Western Meadowlark and Horned Lark make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Swainson's Hawk, Great Horned Owl and Red-tailed Hawk.

Grassy Lake, 16 mi to the west, has a similar number of species on record (118 against 117).

At about 2,608 ft above sea level, Bow Island 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 21 min at midsummer to 8 h 6 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:34 AM in mid-April and 5:16 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

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

• Mourning Dove

  Millet · Cracked corn · Black-oil sunflower

• American Robin

  Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets

• Horned Lark

  Cracked corn · Millet (on bare ground)

• American Crow

  Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• Rock Pigeon

  None recommended — flocks crowd out other feeder birds

• Black-billed Magpie

  Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn

• Grassy Lake16 mi west · 118 species
• Redcliff30 mi north-east · 247 species
• Dunmore35 mi east · 263 species
• Taber35 mi west · 215 species
• Vauxhall36 mi north-west · 83 species
• Barnwell40 mi west · 187 species