British Columbia · 50.15°N

Birds of Lower Nicola

What has actually been seen around Lower Nicola: 190 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 190 within 6 mi
Observation records: 16,413 since 2010
Most recorded bird: American Robin
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 1,910 ft
Daylight, June / December: 16.4 h / 8.1 h

What the records say about Lower Nicola

190 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Lower Nicola (British Columbia) since 2010, across 16,413 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Robin, American Crow and Common Raven.

Lower Nicola is backyard-bird country: 83% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. American Robin, American Crow, Common Raven and European Starling make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

20 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red-tailed Hawk, American Kestrel and Bald Eagle.

Records peak in May and are lowest in November — about 22.3 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.

Merritt, 5 mi to the south-east, has more species on record (204 against 190).

At about 1,910 ft above sea level, Lower Nicola 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 16 h 24 min at midsummer to 8 h 3 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:12 AM in mid-April and 4:52 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Lower Nicola

#	Bird	Records
1	American RobinTurdus migratorius	598
2	American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos	595
3	Common RavenCorvus corax	550
4	European StarlingSturnus vulgaris	511
5	Northern FlickerColaptes auratus	504
6	Eurasian Collared-DoveStreptopelia decaocto	464
7	House FinchHaemorhous mexicanus	409
8	House SparrowPasser domesticus	395
9	Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis	386
10	Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata	374
11	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	345
12	Spotted TowheePipilo maculatus	327
13	Song SparrowMelospiza melodia	324
14	Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis	316
15	Mountain ChickadeePoecile gambeli	315
16	Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina	278
17	Pine SiskinSpinus pinus	270
18	Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis	269
19	Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineus	233
20	Mountain BluebirdSialia currucoides	224

Records by month

What to put out in Lower Nicola

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

American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
Common Raven
Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
European Starling
Suet · Cracked corn
Northern Flicker
Suet · Peanut hearts
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Millet · Cracked corn · Sunflower

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 Lower Nicola?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Lower Nicola are American Robin, American Crow, Common Raven, European Starling and Northern Flicker, based on 16,413 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Lower Nicola?

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

When is the best month for birds in Lower Nicola?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:52 AM.

Sources

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.