Birds of Central Saanich

321 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Central Saanich (British Columbia) since 2010, across 1,490,797 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Robin, Spotted Towhee and Chestnut-backed Chickadee.

Central Saanich is backyard-bird country: 71% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. American Robin, Spotted Towhee, Chestnut-backed Chickadee and Anna's Hummingbird make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

27 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawk.

Records peak in May and are lowest in August — about 2.0 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.

Brentwood Bay, 2 mi to the north-west, has fewer species on record (306 against 321).

Daylight runs from 16 h 8 min at midsummer to 8 h 17 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:25 AM in mid-April and 5:10 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

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

• American Robin

  Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets

• Spotted Towhee

  Millet · Sunflower chips

• Chestnut-backed Chickadee

  Black-oil sunflower · Suet

• Anna's Hummingbird

  Sugar water: 1 part sugar to 4 parts water

• Dark-eyed Junco

  White proso millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

• Common Raven

  Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• Brentwood Bay2 mi north-west · 306 species
• Saanichton2 mi north · 303 species
• Sidney6 mi north · 297 species
• View Royal8 mi south · 361 species
• Mill Bay8 mi north-west · 251 species
• Deep Cove8 mi north · 268 species