Birds of Lake Cowichan

169 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Lake Cowichan (British Columbia) since 2010, across 16,509 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Robin, Steller's Jay and Dark-eyed Junco.

Lake Cowichan is backyard-bird country: 80% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. American Robin, Steller's Jay, Dark-eyed Junco and American Crow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

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

Records peak in May and are lowest in December — about 3.7 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.

Youbou, 7 mi to the north-west, has fewer species on record (136 against 169). Birds logged far more often around Lake Cowichan than there include American Dipper and Ring-necked Duck.

Daylight runs from 16 h 11 min at midsummer to 8 h 15 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:27 AM in mid-April and 5:12 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

• Steller's Jay

  Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet

• Dark-eyed Junco

  White proso millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

• American Crow

  Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• Chestnut-backed Chickadee

  Black-oil sunflower · Suet

• Common Raven

  Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• Youbou7 mi north-west · 136 species
• Saltair16 mi north-east · 218 species
• Ladysmith16 mi north-east · 234 species
• Duncan16 mi east · 256 species
• Chemainus16 mi north-east · 222 species
• Cassidy17 mi north-east · 257 species