Birds of Cowichan Bay

261 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Cowichan Bay (British Columbia) since 2010, across 381,361 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Robin, Dark-eyed Junco and Chestnut-backed Chickadee.

Cowichan Bay is backyard-bird country: 67% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. American Robin, Dark-eyed Junco, Chestnut-backed Chickadee and Spotted Towhee make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

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

Records peak in January and are lowest in August — about 2.5 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.

Duncan, 5 mi to the north-west, has fewer species on record (256 against 261).

Daylight runs from 16 h 10 min at midsummer to 8 h 16 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

• Dark-eyed Junco

  White proso millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

• Chestnut-backed Chickadee

  Black-oil sunflower · Suet

• Spotted Towhee

  Millet · Sunflower chips

• Anna's Hummingbird

  Sugar water: 1 part sugar to 4 parts water

• European Starling

  Suet · Cracked corn

• Duncan5 mi north-west · 256 species
• Maple Bay6 mi north · 263 species
• Shawnigan Lake6 mi south · 210 species
• Mill Bay7 mi south-east · 251 species
• Deep Cove8 mi south-east · 268 species
• Crofton9 mi north · 248 species