British Columbia · 50.15°N

Birds of Canal Flats

What has actually been seen around Canal Flats: 199 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 199 within 6 mi
Observation records: 11,013 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Mallard
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 2,671 ft
Daylight, June / December: 16.4 h / 8.1 h

What the records say about Canal Flats

199 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Canal Flats (British Columbia) since 2010, across 11,013 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, Canada Goose and Bald Eagle.

The records split between backyard birds (58%) and waterbirds (31%), so a feeder in Canal Flats sees the familiar Common Raven, Northern Flicker and American Robin, while Mallard and others turn up on nearby water.

16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Bald Eagle, Osprey and Turkey Vulture.

Records peak in May and are lowest in December — about 244.2 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.

Invermere, 27 mi to the north, has more species on record (245 against 199). Birds logged far more often around Canal Flats than there include Spotted Towhee, Lewis's Woodpecker and Cliff Swallow.

At about 2,671 ft above sea level, Canal Flats sits higher than most places in British Columbia. 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 24 min at midsummer to 8 h 3 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:51 AM in mid-April and 5:32 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Canal Flats

#	Bird	Records
1	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	468
2	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	439
3	Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus	391
4	Common RavenCorvus corax	381
5	Northern FlickerColaptes auratus	338
6	American RobinTurdus migratorius	303
7	Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia	267
8	Song SparrowMelospiza melodia	256
9	Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis	247
10	Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus	238
11	OspreyPandion haliaetus	213
12	American WigeonMareca americana	212
13	Turkey VultureCathartes aura	195
14	Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis	195
15	Common MerganserMergus merganser	188
16	American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos	186
17	Ruby-crowned KingletRegulus calendula	185
18	Great Blue HeronArdea herodias	176
19	Pine SiskinSpinus pinus	175
20	Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina	169

Records by month

What to put out in Canal Flats

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

Common Raven
Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
Northern Flicker
Suet · Peanut hearts
American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
Black-billed Magpie
Suet · Peanuts · Cracked corn
Song Sparrow
Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn
Dark-eyed Junco
White proso millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

Seasonal bird notes for British Columbia

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 Canal Flats?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Canal Flats are Common Raven, Northern Flicker, American Robin, Black-billed Magpie and Song Sparrow, based on 11,013 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Canal Flats?

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

When is the best month for birds in Canal Flats?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. Sunrise in late June is around 5:32 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.