Birds of Esquimalt

378 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Esquimalt (British Columbia) since 2010, across 3,346,615 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Anna's Hummingbird, Glaucous-winged Gull and American Crow.

Esquimalt is backyard-bird country: 65% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Anna's Hummingbird, American Crow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee and American Robin make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

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

Records peak in April and are lowest in July — about 1.9 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.

View Royal, 2 mi to the north-west, has fewer species on record (361 against 378).

Daylight runs from 16 h 7 min at midsummer to 8 h 19 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:25 AM in mid-April and 5:11 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

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

• Anna's Hummingbird

  Sugar water: 1 part sugar to 4 parts water

• American Crow

  Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• Chestnut-backed Chickadee

  Black-oil sunflower · Suet

• American Robin

  Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets

• Spotted Towhee

  Millet · Sunflower chips

• Dark-eyed Junco

  White proso millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

• View Royal2 mi north-west · 361 species
• Oak Bay5 mi east · 367 species
• Metchosin7 mi south-west · 330 species
• Central Saanich9 mi north · 321 species
• Brentwood Bay10 mi north · 306 species
• Saanichton11 mi north · 303 species