Birds of Grande Cache

154 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Grande Cache (Alberta) since 2010, across 1,933 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Common Raven, American Crow and American Robin.

Grande Cache is backyard-bird country: 78% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Common Raven, American Crow, American Robin and Black-capped Chickadee make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

9 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Osprey, Bald Eagle and Red-tailed Hawk.

Records peak in May and are lowest in November — about 90.2 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.

Hinton, 72 mi to the south-east, has more species on record (219 against 154). Birds logged far more often around Grande Cache than there include Osprey, Common Loon, Orange-crowned Warbler and Ruffed Grouse.

At about 4,019 ft above sea level, Grande Cache 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 7 min at midsummer to 7 h 24 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:57 AM in mid-April and 5:24 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

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

• 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

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts

• Yellow-rumped Warbler

  Suet · Hulled sunflower

• Dark-eyed Junco

  White proso millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

• Hinton72 mi south-east · 219 species
• Valemount73 mi south · 208 species
• Jasper82 mi south-east · 240 species
• Wembley87 mi north · 210 species
• Beaverlodge93 mi north · 154 species
• Clairmont97 mi north · 220 species