Alberta · 49.88°N

Birds of Picture Butte

What has actually been seen around Picture Butte: 146 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 146 within 6 mi
Observation records: 3,340 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Canada Goose
Busiest month: April
Elevation: 2,973 ft
Daylight, June / December: 16.4 h / 8.1 h

What the records say about Picture Butte

146 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Picture Butte (Alberta) since 2010, across 3,340 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Canada Goose, Mallard and American Coot.

Water shapes this list. 62% of records near Picture Butte are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Canada Goose, Mallard and American Coot lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. House Sparrow is still the most logged backyard bird.

15 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Merlin, Hen Harrier and Great Horned Owl.

Records peak in April and are lowest in February — about 16.7 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.

Coalhurst, 11 mi to the south-west, has more species on record (264 against 146). Birds logged far more often around Picture Butte than there include American Coot, Lesser Scaup, Redhead and American Wigeon.

At about 2,973 ft above sea level, Picture Butte 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 21 min at midsummer to 8 h 6 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:40 AM in mid-April and 5:21 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Picture Butte

#	Bird	Records
1	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	185
2	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	143
3	American CootFulica americana	119
4	Lesser ScaupAythya affinis	118
5	RedheadAythya americana	107
6	Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula	107
7	American WigeonMareca americana	105
8	CanvasbackAythya valisineria	102
9	House SparrowPasser domesticus	99
10	Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata	96
11	Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia	93
12	Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris	90
13	Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis	84
14	Northern PintailAnas acuta	82
15	European StarlingSturnus vulgaris	76
16	American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos	73
17	BuffleheadBucephala albeola	71
18	Tufted DuckAythya fuligula	65
19	MerlinFalco columbarius	61
20	Eurasian Collared-DoveStreptopelia decaocto	60

Records by month

What to put out in Picture Butte

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

House Sparrow
Millet · Cracked corn
Black-billed Magpie
Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn
European Starling
Suet · Cracked corn
American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Millet · Cracked corn · Sunflower
Northern Flicker
Suet · Peanut hearts

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 Picture Butte?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Picture Butte are House Sparrow, Black-billed Magpie, European Starling, American Crow and Eurasian Collared-Dove, based on 3,340 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Picture Butte?

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

When is the best month for birds in Picture Butte?

Observation records peak in April and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 5:21 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.