Birds of Stony Plain
What has actually been seen around Stony Plain: 230 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 230 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 92,100 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 2,313 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 17 h / 7.5 h
What the records say about Stony Plain
230 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Stony Plain (Alberta) since 2010, across 92,100 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-capped Chickadee, Black-billed Magpie and Downy Woodpecker.
Stony Plain is backyard-bird country: 78% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Black-capped Chickadee, Black-billed Magpie, Downy Woodpecker and American Crow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
21 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red-tailed Hawk and Merlin.
Records peak in May and are lowest in February — about 4.8 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.
Devon, 16 mi to the south-east, has fewer species on record (225 against 230). Birds logged far more often around Stony Plain than there include Ring-billed Gull, Red-necked Grebe, Common Grackle and Common Loon.
At about 2,313 ft above sea level, Stony Plain 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 17 h 3 min at midsummer to 7 h 28 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:38 AM in mid-April and 5:05 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Stony Plain
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 5,013 |
| 2 | Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia | 4,797 |
| 3 | Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens | 3,806 |
| 4 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 3,554 |
| 5 | Blue JayCyanocitta cristata | 3,301 |
| 6 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 3,051 |
| 7 | White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis | 2,984 |
| 8 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 2,889 |
| 9 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 2,500 |
| 10 | House FinchHaemorhous mexicanus | 2,487 |
| 11 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 2,331 |
| 12 | Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis | 2,302 |
| 13 | Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus | 2,025 |
| 14 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,950 |
| 15 | Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosus | 1,947 |
| 16 | Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis | 1,881 |
| 17 | Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatus | 1,788 |
| 18 | Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis | 1,766 |
| 19 | Pine SiskinSpinus pinus | 1,407 |
| 20 | Northern FlickerColaptes auratus | 1,296 |
Records by month
What to put out in Stony Plain
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
- Black-billed Magpie
Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn
- Downy Woodpecker
Suet · Shelled peanuts · Black-oil sunflower
- American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- Blue Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
- House Sparrow
Millet · Cracked corn
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 Stony Plain?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Stony Plain are Black-capped Chickadee, Black-billed Magpie, Downy Woodpecker, American Crow and Blue Jay, based on 92,100 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Stony Plain?
230 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Stony Plain?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 5:05 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.