Alberta · 49.82°N

Birds of Grassy Lake

What has actually been seen around Grassy Lake: 118 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 118 within 6 mi
Observation records: 1,071 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Mourning Dove
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 2,608 ft
Daylight, June / December: 16.3 h / 8.1 h

What the records say about Grassy Lake

118 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Grassy Lake (Alberta) since 2010, across 1,071 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mourning Dove, Killdeer and Swainson's Hawk.

Water shapes this list. 52% of records near Grassy Lake are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Killdeer, Canada Goose and American Coot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Mourning Dove is still the most logged backyard bird.

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

Bow Island, 16 mi to the east, has a similar number of species on record (117 against 118). Birds logged far more often around Grassy Lake than there include American Coot, Northern Shoveler, Yellow-headed Blackbird and Ruddy Duck.

At about 2,608 ft above sea level, Grassy Lake 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 20 min at midsummer to 8 h 6 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:36 AM in mid-April and 5:17 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Grassy Lake

#	Bird	Records
1	Mourning DoveZenaida macroura	36
2	KilldeerCharadrius vociferus	34
3	Swainson's HawkButeo swainsoni	33
4	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	33
5	Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglecta	33
6	American CootFulica americana	32
7	Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus	32
8	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	31
9	Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcan	30
10	American White PelicanPelecanus erythrorhynchos	28
11	Western KingbirdTyrannus verticalis	28
12	Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata	27
13	Yellow-headed BlackbirdXanthocephalus xanthocephalus	26
14	Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensis	25
15	Northern PintailAnas acuta	20
16	Eastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannus	20
17	Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena	19
18	House SparrowPasser domesticus	19
19	American RobinTurdus migratorius	18
20	Lesser ScaupAythya affinis	17

Records by month

What to put out in Grassy Lake

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

Mourning Dove
Millet · Cracked corn · Black-oil sunflower
Red-winged Blackbird
Cracked corn · Millet · Sunflower
Western Kingbird
None — open country with wires and fences is the draw
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Cracked corn · Millet · Black-oil sunflower
House Sparrow
Millet · Cracked corn
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 Grassy Lake?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Grassy Lake are Mourning Dove, Western Meadowlark, Red-winged Blackbird, Western Kingbird and Yellow-headed Blackbird, based on 1,071 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Grassy Lake?

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

When is the best month for birds in Grassy Lake?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. 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.