Birds of Irricana
What has actually been seen around Irricana: 223 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 223 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 61,964 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black-billed Magpie
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 3,055 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.6 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Irricana
223 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Irricana (Alberta) since 2010, across 61,964 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-billed Magpie, House Sparrow and European Starling.
Water shapes this list. 44% of records near Irricana are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Canada Goose and Northern Shoveler lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Black-billed Magpie is still the most logged backyard bird.
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 February — about 13.0 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.
Crossfield, 20 mi to the west, has fewer species on record (173 against 223). Birds logged far more often around Irricana than there include Red-necked Grebe, Common Redpoll, Common Pheasant and Double-crested Cormorant.
At about 3,055 ft above sea level, Irricana 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 37 min at midsummer to 7 h 52 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:40 AM in mid-April and 5:17 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Irricana
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia | 3,483 |
| 2 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 2,314 |
| 3 | European StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,870 |
| 4 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,704 |
| 5 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,616 |
| 6 | Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus | 1,596 |
| 7 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 1,350 |
| 8 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 1,350 |
| 9 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 1,292 |
| 10 | Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata | 1,227 |
| 11 | KilldeerCharadrius vociferus | 1,193 |
| 12 | Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglecta | 1,108 |
| 13 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 1,037 |
| 14 | GadwallMareca strepera | 994 |
| 15 | Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis | 987 |
| 16 | American WigeonMareca americana | 921 |
| 17 | Lesser ScaupAythya affinis | 910 |
| 18 | House FinchHaemorhous mexicanus | 896 |
| 19 | Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensis | 869 |
| 20 | American AvocetRecurvirostra americana | 815 |
Records by month
What to put out in Irricana
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- Black-billed Magpie
Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn
- House Sparrow
Millet · Cracked corn
- European Starling
Suet · Cracked corn
- Red-winged Blackbird
Cracked corn · Millet · Sunflower
- Common Raven
Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- American Crow
Cracked corn · 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 Irricana?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Irricana are Black-billed Magpie, House Sparrow, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird and Common Raven, based on 61,964 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Irricana?
223 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Irricana?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 5:17 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.