Alberta · 51.43°N

Birds of Crossfield

What has actually been seen around Crossfield: 173 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 173 within 6 mi
Observation records: 5,105 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Mallard
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 3,665 ft
Daylight, June / December: 16.6 h / 7.8 h

What the records say about Crossfield

173 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Crossfield (Alberta) since 2010, across 5,105 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, Black-billed Magpie and Canada Goose.

Water shapes this list. 48% of records near Crossfield are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Canada Goose and Northern Shoveler lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Black-billed Magpie is still the most logged backyard bird.

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

Records peak in May and are lowest in December — about 105.3 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.

Carstairs, 10 mi to the north, has a similar number of species on record (175 against 173). Birds logged far more often around Crossfield than there include Wilson's Phalarope, Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet and White-faced Ibis.

At about 3,665 ft above sea level, Crossfield 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 38 min at midsummer to 7 h 51 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:42 AM in mid-April and 5:18 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Crossfield

#	Bird	Records
1	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	230
2	Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia	222
3	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	219
4	Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus	212
5	Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata	168
6	European StarlingSturnus vulgaris	142
7	Common RavenCorvus corax	141
8	Blue-winged TealSpatula discors	139
9	Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis	137
10	GadwallMareca strepera	127
11	KilldeerCharadrius vociferus	121
12	Swainson's HawkButeo swainsoni	118
13	American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos	116
14	American RobinTurdus migratorius	102
15	Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolor	101
16	American CootFulica americana	97
17	Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensis	96
18	Yellow-headed BlackbirdXanthocephalus xanthocephalus	91
19	American WigeonMareca americana	85
20	House SparrowPasser domesticus	74

Records by month

What to put out in Crossfield

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

Black-billed Magpie
Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn
Red-winged Blackbird
Cracked corn · Millet · Sunflower
European Starling
Suet · Cracked corn
Common Raven
Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
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 Crossfield?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Crossfield are Black-billed Magpie, Red-winged Blackbird, European Starling, Common Raven and American Crow, based on 5,105 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Crossfield?

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

When is the best month for birds in Crossfield?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 5:18 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.