Alberta · 50.40°N

Birds of Vulcan

What has actually been seen around Vulcan: 157 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 157 within 6 mi
Observation records: 2,734 since 2010
Most recorded bird: House Sparrow
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 3,422 ft
Daylight, June / December: 16.4 h / 8 h

What the records say about Vulcan

157 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Vulcan (Alberta) since 2010, across 2,734 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are House Sparrow, Black-billed Magpie and Eurasian Collared-Dove.

Vulcan is backyard-bird country: 75% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. House Sparrow, Black-billed Magpie, Eurasian Collared-Dove and House Finch make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Merlin, Snowy Owl and Hen Harrier.

Records peak in May and are lowest in August — about 9.9 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.

Nanton, 23 mi to the west, has more species on record (180 against 157). Birds logged far more often around Vulcan than there include House Finch, Common Redpoll, Northern Flicker and Downy Woodpecker.

At about 3,422 ft above sea level, Vulcan 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 27 min at midsummer to 8 h 1 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:41 AM in mid-April and 5:21 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Vulcan

#	Bird	Records
1	House SparrowPasser domesticus	255
2	Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia	177
3	Eurasian Collared-DoveStreptopelia decaocto	153
4	House FinchHaemorhous mexicanus	137
5	Common RedpollAcanthis flammea	99
6	Northern FlickerColaptes auratus	98
7	European StarlingSturnus vulgaris	84
8	American RobinTurdus migratorius	82
9	American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos	75
10	Common RavenCorvus corax	71
11	Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus	66
12	Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens	61
13	Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis	58
14	Blue JayCyanocitta cristata	54
15	Rock PigeonColumba livia	53
16	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	52
17	White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis	49
18	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	46
19	Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula	41
20	MerlinFalco columbarius	36

Records by month

What to put out in Vulcan

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

House Sparrow
Millet · Cracked corn
Black-billed Magpie
Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Millet · Cracked corn · Sunflower
House Finch
Black-oil sunflower · Hulled sunflower · Nyjer
Common Redpoll
Nyjer · Hulled 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 Vulcan?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Vulcan are House Sparrow, Black-billed Magpie, Eurasian Collared-Dove, House Finch and Common Redpoll, based on 2,734 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Vulcan?

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

When is the best month for birds in Vulcan?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in August. 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.