Birds of Qualicum Beach
What has actually been seen around Qualicum Beach: 279 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 279 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 347,959 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Bald Eagle
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 197 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.3 h / 8.2 h
What the records say about Qualicum Beach
279 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Qualicum Beach (British Columbia) since 2010, across 347,959 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Bald Eagle, American Robin and Spotted Towhee.
Water shapes this list. 41% of records near Qualicum Beach are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Glaucous-winged Gull, Mallard and Canada Goose lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. American Robin is still the most logged backyard bird.
22 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Bald Eagle and Turkey Vulture.
Records peak in April and are lowest in July — about 2.3 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.
Coombs, 3 mi to the south, has more species on record (293 against 279).
Daylight runs from 16 h 16 min at midsummer to 8 h 10 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:27 AM in mid-April and 5:11 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Qualicum Beach
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus | 10,221 |
| 2 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 9,117 |
| 3 | Spotted TowheePipilo maculatus | 8,658 |
| 4 | Chestnut-backed ChickadeePoecile rufescens | 8,175 |
| 5 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 8,071 |
| 6 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 8,069 |
| 7 | Glaucous-winged GullLarus glaucescens | 8,042 |
| 8 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 8,011 |
| 9 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 7,880 |
| 10 | Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis | 7,662 |
| 11 | Northern FlickerColaptes auratus | 7,180 |
| 12 | Anna's HummingbirdCalypte anna | 6,992 |
| 13 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 6,883 |
| 14 | European StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 5,766 |
| 15 | BuffleheadBucephala albeola | 5,521 |
| 16 | Short-billed GullLarus brachyrhynchus | 5,086 |
| 17 | KilldeerCharadrius vociferus | 5,002 |
| 18 | American WigeonMareca americana | 4,726 |
| 19 | White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys | 4,721 |
| 20 | Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis | 4,564 |
Records by month
What to put out in Qualicum Beach
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
- Spotted Towhee
Millet · Sunflower chips
- Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet
- Song Sparrow
Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn
- Common Raven
Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- American Crow
Cracked corn · 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 Qualicum Beach?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Qualicum Beach are American Robin, Spotted Towhee, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Song Sparrow and Common Raven, based on 347,959 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Qualicum Beach?
279 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Qualicum Beach?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 5:11 AM.
Sources
- GBIF occurrence search (birds, class Aves, 2010 onward)
- 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.