Birds of Saltair

218 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Saltair (British Columbia) since 2010, across 67,834 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Dark-eyed Junco, American Robin and Anna's Hummingbird.

Saltair is backyard-bird country: 76% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Dark-eyed Junco, American Robin, Anna's Hummingbird and Spotted Towhee make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

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

Records peak in December and are lowest in September — about 1.8 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.

Chemainus, 3 mi to the south-east, has a similar number of species on record (222 against 218).

Daylight runs from 16 h 12 min at midsummer to 8 h 14 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:25 AM in mid-April and 5:10 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

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

• Dark-eyed Junco

  White proso millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

• American Robin

  Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets

• Anna's Hummingbird

  Sugar water: 1 part sugar to 4 parts water

• Spotted Towhee

  Millet · Sunflower chips

• Chestnut-backed Chickadee

  Black-oil sunflower · Suet

• American Crow

  Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• Chemainus3 mi south-east · 222 species
• Ladysmith4 mi north-west · 234 species
• Crofton8 mi south-east · 248 species
• Cassidy9 mi north-west · 257 species
• Maple Bay11 mi south-east · 263 species
• Duncan12 mi south · 256 species