Perch Supply
British Columbia · 55.76°N

Birds of Dawson Creek

What has actually been seen around Dawson Creek: 232 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record
232 within 6 mi
Observation records
23,655 since 2010
Most recorded bird
Black-billed Magpie
Busiest month
June
Elevation
2,175 ft
Daylight, June / December
17.6 h / 7 h

What the records say about Dawson Creek

232 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Dawson Creek (British Columbia) since 2010, across 23,655 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-billed Magpie, Black-capped Chickadee and Common Raven.

Dawson Creek 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. Black-billed Magpie, Black-capped Chickadee, Common Raven and American Crow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

23 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Merlin, Hen Harrier and Red-tailed Hawk.

Records peak in June and are lowest in November — about 10.9 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.

Hythe, 40 mi to the south-east, has fewer species on record (100 against 232). Birds logged far more often around Dawson Creek than there include Black-capped Chickadee, House Sparrow, Downy Woodpecker and Cedar Waxwing.

At about 2,175 ft above sea level, Dawson Creek 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 17 h 34 min at midsummer to 7 h 0 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 5:58 AM in mid-April and 4:15 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Dawson Creek

#BirdRecords
1Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia1,292
2Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus1,231
3Common RavenCorvus corax1,181
4American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos958
5House SparrowPasser domesticus955
6Rock PigeonColumba livia667
7Canada GooseBranta canadensis612
8American RobinTurdus migratorius585
9MallardAnas platyrhynchos526
10Blue JayCyanocitta cristata493
11Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus477
12Yellow WarblerSetophaga petechia383
13American CootFulica americana363
14Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosus335
15White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis326
16Common RedpollAcanthis flammea324
17Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensis323
18Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens318
19Lesser ScaupAythya affinis307
20Tree SwallowTachycineta bicolor290

Records by month

What to put out in Dawson Creek

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

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 Dawson Creek?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Dawson Creek are Black-billed Magpie, Black-capped Chickadee, Common Raven, American Crow and House Sparrow, based on 23,655 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Dawson Creek?

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

When is the best month for birds in Dawson Creek?

Observation records peak in June and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:15 AM.

Sources

  1. GBIF occurrence search (birds, class Aves, 2010 onward)
  2. 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.