Birds of Rocky Mountain House

193 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Rocky Mountain House (Alberta) since 2010, across 16,368 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-capped Chickadee, Common Raven and Red-breasted Nuthatch.

Rocky Mountain House is backyard-bird country: 89% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Black-capped Chickadee, Common Raven, Red-breasted Nuthatch and White-breasted Nuthatch make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

21 birds of prey are on record nearby, including American Kestrel, Red-tailed Hawk and Osprey.

Records peak in May and are lowest in February — about 4.7 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.

Eckville, 23 mi to the east, has fewer species on record (119 against 193). Birds logged far more often around Rocky Mountain House than there include Red-breasted Nuthatch, Boreal Chickadee, Pine Siskin and Dark-eyed Junco.

At about 3,222 ft above sea level, Rocky Mountain House 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 48 min at midsummer to 7 h 41 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:44 AM in mid-April and 5:16 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

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

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts

• Common Raven

  Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• Red-breasted Nuthatch

  Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Peanut hearts

• White-breasted Nuthatch

  Black-oil sunflower · Shelled peanuts · Suet

• Black-billed Magpie

  Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn

• Downy Woodpecker

  Suet · Shelled peanuts · Black-oil sunflower

• Eckville23 mi east · 119 species
• Rimbey34 mi north-east · 122 species
• Bentley37 mi east · 224 species
• Sundre41 mi south · 132 species
• Springbrook46 mi east · 221 species
• Innisfail47 mi south-east · 143 species