Birds of Canmore
What has actually been seen around Canmore: 247 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 247 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 86,281 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black-billed Magpie
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 4,295 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Canmore
247 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Canmore (Alberta) since 2010, across 86,281 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-billed Magpie, Common Raven and Mountain Chickadee.
Canmore is backyard-bird country: 85% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Black-billed Magpie, Common Raven, Mountain Chickadee and American Robin make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
22 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Merlin, Osprey and Bald Eagle.
Records peak in May and are lowest in February — about 5.0 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.
Banff, 11 mi to the north-west, has more species on record (259 against 247). Birds logged far more often around Canmore than there include Blue Jay and Brewer's Blackbird.
At about 4,295 ft above sea level, Canmore 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 34 min at midsummer to 7 h 54 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:48 AM in mid-April and 5:25 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Canmore
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia | 6,114 |
| 2 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 5,328 |
| 3 | Mountain ChickadeePoecile gambeli | 5,271 |
| 4 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 4,012 |
| 5 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 3,506 |
| 6 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 3,388 |
| 7 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 3,102 |
| 8 | Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis | 2,892 |
| 9 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 2,844 |
| 10 | Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis | 2,718 |
| 11 | Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata | 2,365 |
| 12 | White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys | 2,086 |
| 13 | Pine SiskinSpinus pinus | 1,943 |
| 14 | Ruby-crowned KingletRegulus calendula | 1,746 |
| 15 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 1,697 |
| 16 | Blue JayCyanocitta cristata | 1,683 |
| 17 | Boreal ChickadeePoecile hudsonicus | 1,565 |
| 18 | Clark's NutcrackerNucifraga columbiana | 1,478 |
| 19 | Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus | 1,036 |
| 20 | European StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,035 |
Records by month
What to put out in Canmore
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- Black-billed Magpie
Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn
- Common Raven
Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- Mountain Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Peanut hearts
- American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
- Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
- 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 Canmore?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Canmore are Black-billed Magpie, Common Raven, Mountain Chickadee, American Robin and Black-capped Chickadee, based on 86,281 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Canmore?
247 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Canmore?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 5:25 AM.
Sources
- GBIF occurrence search (birds, class Aves, 2010 onward)
- GeoNames gazetteer (place, population, elevation)
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.