Alberta · 51.67°N

Birds of Didsbury

What has actually been seen around Didsbury: 181 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 181 within 6 mi
Observation records: 6,721 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Black-billed Magpie
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 3,386 ft
Daylight, June / December: 16.7 h / 7.8 h

What the records say about Didsbury

181 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Didsbury (Alberta) since 2010, across 6,721 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-billed Magpie, Canada Goose and American Robin.

The records split between backyard birds (53%) and waterbirds (38%), so a feeder in Didsbury sees the familiar Black-billed Magpie, American Robin and American Crow, while Canada Goose and others turn up on nearby water.

20 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red-tailed Hawk, Swainson's Hawk and Hen Harrier.

Records peak in May and are lowest in November — about 66.8 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, 7 mi to the south, has fewer species on record (175 against 181). Birds logged far more often around Didsbury than there include Greater Yellowlegs.

At about 3,386 ft above sea level, Didsbury 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 40 min at midsummer to 7 h 48 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:42 AM in mid-April and 5:17 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Didsbury

#	Bird	Records
1	Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia	284
2	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	211
3	American RobinTurdus migratorius	203
4	American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos	202
5	European StarlingSturnus vulgaris	199
6	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	194
7	Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis	186
8	Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus	184
9	Common RavenCorvus corax	163
10	Swainson's HawkButeo swainsoni	153
11	Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus	149
12	House SparrowPasser domesticus	146
13	Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata	134
14	American CootFulica americana	132
15	Blue-winged TealSpatula discors	126
16	KilldeerCharadrius vociferus	112
17	Yellow-headed BlackbirdXanthocephalus xanthocephalus	105
18	Tree SwallowTachycineta bicolor	102
19	Northern FlickerColaptes auratus	98
20	Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensis	98

Records by month

What to put out in Didsbury

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

Black-billed Magpie
Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn
American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
European Starling
Suet · Cracked corn
Red-winged Blackbird
Cracked corn · Millet · Sunflower
Common Raven
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 Didsbury?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Didsbury are Black-billed Magpie, American Robin, American Crow, European Starling and Red-winged Blackbird, based on 6,721 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Didsbury?

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

When is the best month for birds in Didsbury?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 5:17 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.