Alberta · 50.58°N

Birds of High River

What has actually been seen around High River: 230 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 230 within 6 mi
Observation records: 60,072 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Black-billed Magpie
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 3,393 ft
Daylight, June / December: 16.5 h / 8 h

What the records say about High River

230 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of High River (Alberta) since 2010, across 60,072 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-billed Magpie, House Sparrow and Mallard.

The records split between backyard birds (56%) and waterbirds (37%), so a feeder in High River sees the familiar Black-billed Magpie, House Sparrow and American Crow, while Mallard and others turn up on nearby water.

22 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Swainson's Hawk, Bald Eagle and Red-tailed Hawk.

Records peak in May and are lowest in February — about 8.1 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.

Nanton, 17 mi to the south, has fewer species on record (180 against 230). Birds logged far more often around High River than there include Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Flicker, Downy Woodpecker and Common Goldeneye.

At about 3,393 ft above sea level, High River 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 28 min at midsummer to 7 h 59 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:43 AM in mid-April and 5:22 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near High River

#	Bird	Records
1	Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia	3,386
2	House SparrowPasser domesticus	2,884
3	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	2,515
4	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	2,120
5	American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos	1,719
6	Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus	1,644
7	European StarlingSturnus vulgaris	1,519
8	Eurasian Collared-DoveStreptopelia decaocto	1,492
9	Northern FlickerColaptes auratus	1,445
10	American RobinTurdus migratorius	1,371
11	Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata	1,365
12	Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus	1,228
13	House FinchHaemorhous mexicanus	1,194
14	Rock PigeonColumba livia	1,096
15	GadwallMareca strepera	1,037
16	Blue JayCyanocitta cristata	1,025
17	Common RavenCorvus corax	997
18	Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensis	997
19	KilldeerCharadrius vociferus	954
20	Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens	925

Records by month

What to put out in High River

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

Black-billed Magpie
Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn
House Sparrow
Millet · Cracked corn
American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
European Starling
Suet · Cracked corn
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Millet · Cracked corn · Sunflower

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 High River?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of High River are Black-billed Magpie, House Sparrow, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee and European Starling, based on 60,072 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near High River?

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

When is the best month for birds in High River?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 5:22 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.