Alberta · 50.35°N

Birds of Nanton

What has actually been seen around Nanton: 180 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 180 within 6 mi
Observation records: 8,965 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Black-billed Magpie
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 3,343 ft
Daylight, June / December: 16.4 h / 8 h

What the records say about Nanton

180 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Nanton (Alberta) since 2010, across 8,965 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-billed Magpie, Swainson's Hawk and Red-winged Blackbird.

The records split between backyard birds (51%) and waterbirds (37%), so a feeder in Nanton sees the familiar Black-billed Magpie, Red-winged Blackbird and European Starling, while Mallard and others turn up on nearby water.

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

Records peak in May and are lowest in November — about 30.5 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.

High River, 17 mi to the north, has more species on record (230 against 180). Birds logged far more often around Nanton than there include Yellow-headed Blackbird, Hen Harrier, Cliff Swallow and Black Tern.

At about 3,343 ft above sea level, Nanton 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 26 min at midsummer to 8 h 1 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:43 AM in mid-April and 5:23 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Nanton

#	Bird	Records
1	Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia	342
2	Swainson's HawkButeo swainsoni	340
3	Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus	334
4	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	303
5	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	302
6	European StarlingSturnus vulgaris	259
7	American RobinTurdus migratorius	222
8	House SparrowPasser domesticus	221
9	Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis	203
10	American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos	199
11	Yellow-headed BlackbirdXanthocephalus xanthocephalus	198
12	Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglecta	194
13	Common RavenCorvus corax	191
14	Eurasian Collared-DoveStreptopelia decaocto	186
15	Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata	181
16	KilldeerCharadrius vociferus	173
17	GadwallMareca strepera	172
18	Rock PigeonColumba livia	159
19	Eastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannus	152
20	Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensis	139

Records by month

What to put out in Nanton

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

Black-billed Magpie
Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn
Red-winged Blackbird
Cracked corn · Millet · Sunflower
European Starling
Suet · Cracked corn
American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
House Sparrow
Millet · Cracked corn
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 Nanton?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Nanton are Black-billed Magpie, Red-winged Blackbird, European Starling, American Robin and House Sparrow, based on 8,965 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Nanton?

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

When is the best month for birds in Nanton?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 5:23 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.