Alberta · 51.78°N

Birds of Olds

What has actually been seen around Olds: 192 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 192 within 6 mi
Observation records: 8,189 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Mallard
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 3,409 ft
Daylight, June / December: 16.7 h / 7.8 h

What the records say about Olds

192 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Olds (Alberta) since 2010, across 8,189 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, Canada Goose and Red-winged Blackbird.

Water shapes this list. 54% of records near Olds are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Canada Goose and American Coot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Red-winged Blackbird is still the most logged backyard bird.

17 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 November — about 115.7 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.

Didsbury, 8 mi to the south, has fewer species on record (181 against 192). Birds logged far more often around Olds than there include Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, American White Pelican and Marsh Wren.

At about 3,409 ft above sea level, Olds 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 42 min at midsummer to 7 h 47 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:42 AM in mid-April and 5:16 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Olds

#	Bird	Records
1	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	335
2	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	324
3	Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus	282
4	American CootFulica americana	265
5	Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia	239
6	Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensis	217
7	Lesser ScaupAythya affinis	211
8	Blue-winged TealSpatula discors	209
9	Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata	198
10	American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos	187
11	Yellow-headed BlackbirdXanthocephalus xanthocephalus	187
12	European StarlingSturnus vulgaris	178
13	American RobinTurdus migratorius	167
14	Common RavenCorvus corax	164
15	Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis	160
16	Black TernChlidonias niger	160
17	GadwallMareca strepera	158
18	RedheadAythya americana	143
19	Swainson's HawkButeo swainsoni	127
20	Tree SwallowTachycineta bicolor	122

Records by month

What to put out in Olds

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

Red-winged Blackbird
Cracked corn · Millet · Sunflower
Black-billed Magpie
Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn
American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Cracked corn · Millet · Black-oil sunflower
European Starling
Suet · 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 Olds?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Olds are Red-winged Blackbird, Black-billed Magpie, American Crow, Yellow-headed Blackbird and European Starling, based on 8,189 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Olds?

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

When is the best month for birds in Olds?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 5:16 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.