Alberta · 51.93°N

Birds of Bowden

What has actually been seen around Bowden: 122 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 122 within 6 mi
Observation records: 902 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Black-billed Magpie
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 3,242 ft
Daylight, June / December: 16.7 h / 7.8 h

What the records say about Bowden

122 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Bowden (Alberta) since 2010, across 902 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-billed Magpie, Red-tailed Hawk and European Starling.

Bowden is backyard-bird country: 62% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Black-billed Magpie, European Starling, Common Raven and American Crow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

11 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red-tailed Hawk, Swainson's Hawk and Bald Eagle.

Records peak in May and are lowest in January — about 21.0 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.

Innisfail, 8 mi to the north-east, has more species on record (143 against 122).

At about 3,242 ft above sea level, Bowden 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 43 min at midsummer to 7 h 45 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:41 AM in mid-April and 5:15 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Bowden

#	Bird	Records
1	Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia	44
2	Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis	39
3	European StarlingSturnus vulgaris	36
4	Common RavenCorvus corax	35
5	American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos	33
6	Swainson's HawkButeo swainsoni	31
7	Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus	30
8	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	28
9	Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus	25
10	American RobinTurdus migratorius	23
11	House SparrowPasser domesticus	19
12	Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens	18
13	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	18
14	American GoldfinchSpinus tristis	17
15	Barn SwallowHirundo rustica	16
16	Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus	15
17	Rock PigeonColumba livia	15
18	Black TernChlidonias niger	14
19	White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis	14
20	House WrenTroglodytes aedon	14

Records by month

What to put out in Bowden

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

Black-billed Magpie
Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn
European Starling
Suet · Cracked corn
Common Raven
Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
Red-winged Blackbird
Cracked corn · Millet · Sunflower

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 Bowden?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Bowden are Black-billed Magpie, European Starling, Common Raven, American Crow and Black-capped Chickadee, based on 902 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Bowden?

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

When is the best month for birds in Bowden?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in January. Sunrise in late June is around 5:15 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.