British Columbia · 49.50°N

Birds of Nelson

What has actually been seen around Nelson: 250 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 250 within 6 mi
Observation records: 149,419 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Song Sparrow
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 1,775 ft
Daylight, June / December: 16.3 h / 8.2 h

What the records say about Nelson

250 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Nelson (British Columbia) since 2010, across 149,419 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Song Sparrow, American Crow and Black-capped Chickadee.

Nelson is backyard-bird country: 69% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Song Sparrow, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee and Northern Flicker make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

21 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Bald Eagle, Osprey and Merlin.

Records peak in May and are lowest in February — about 2.9 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.

Castlegar, 21 mi to the south-west, has more species on record (275 against 250). Birds logged far more often around Nelson than there include Western Grebe, Horned Grebe, House Sparrow and Redhead.

At about 1,775 ft above sea level, Nelson 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 17 min at midsummer to 8 h 9 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 5:58 AM in mid-April and 4:41 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Nelson

#	Bird	Records
1	Song SparrowMelospiza melodia	8,023
2	American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos	7,001
3	Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus	6,630
4	Northern FlickerColaptes auratus	6,271
5	American RobinTurdus migratorius	5,581
6	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	4,794
7	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	4,445
8	Common RavenCorvus corax	4,097
9	House FinchHaemorhous mexicanus	3,978
10	Steller's JayCyanocitta stelleri	3,679
11	Pine SiskinSpinus pinus	3,410
12	Common MerganserMergus merganser	2,909
13	Rock PigeonColumba livia	2,887
14	Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis	2,637
15	Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus	2,625
16	Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis	2,350
17	OspreyPandion haliaetus	2,185
18	Violet-green SwallowTachycineta thalassina	2,128
19	American GoldfinchSpinus tristis	2,081
20	American WigeonMareca americana	1,979

Records by month

What to put out in Nelson

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

Song Sparrow
Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn
American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
Northern Flicker
Suet · Peanut hearts
American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
Common Raven
Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

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 Nelson?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Nelson are Song Sparrow, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Flicker and American Robin, based on 149,419 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Nelson?

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

When is the best month for birds in Nelson?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:41 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.