Birds of Fort Saskatchewan
What has actually been seen around Fort Saskatchewan: 240 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 240 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 78,505 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black-billed Magpie
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 2,057 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 17.1 h / 7.4 h
What the records say about Fort Saskatchewan
240 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Fort Saskatchewan (Alberta) since 2010, across 78,505 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-billed Magpie, Canada Goose and American Crow.
Water shapes this list. 56% of records near Fort Saskatchewan are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Canada Goose, Mallard and Common Goldeneye lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Black-billed Magpie is still the most logged backyard bird.
22 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk and Hen Harrier.
Records peak in May and are lowest in February — about 24.3 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.
Gibbons, 11 mi to the north-west, has fewer species on record (206 against 240). Birds logged far more often around Fort Saskatchewan than there include Ring-billed Gull, Lesser Scaup, Red-necked Grebe and Canvasback.
At about 2,057 ft above sea level, Fort Saskatchewan 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 17 h 5 min at midsummer to 7 h 26 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:34 AM in mid-April and 5:01 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Fort Saskatchewan
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia | 3,752 |
| 2 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 3,245 |
| 3 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 2,914 |
| 4 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 2,868 |
| 5 | Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula | 2,165 |
| 6 | American CootFulica americana | 1,854 |
| 7 | Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis | 1,761 |
| 8 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 1,710 |
| 9 | Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus | 1,704 |
| 10 | Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata | 1,577 |
| 11 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 1,552 |
| 12 | Lesser ScaupAythya affinis | 1,550 |
| 13 | Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena | 1,536 |
| 14 | BuffleheadBucephala albeola | 1,336 |
| 15 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 1,331 |
| 16 | Blue-winged TealSpatula discors | 1,331 |
| 17 | American WigeonMareca americana | 1,323 |
| 18 | Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcan | 1,287 |
| 19 | RedheadAythya americana | 1,256 |
| 20 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 1,251 |
Records by month
What to put out in Fort Saskatchewan
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- Black-billed Magpie
Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn
- 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
- Common Raven
Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- House Sparrow
Millet · Cracked corn
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 Fort Saskatchewan?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Fort Saskatchewan are Black-billed Magpie, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Red-winged Blackbird and Common Raven, based on 78,505 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Fort Saskatchewan?
240 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Fort Saskatchewan?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 5:01 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.