Birds of Sidney
What has actually been seen around Sidney: 297 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 297 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 713,416 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Glaucous-winged Gull
- Busiest month
- December
- Elevation
- 30 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.2 h / 8.3 h
What the records say about Sidney
297 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Sidney (British Columbia) since 2010, across 713,416 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Glaucous-winged Gull, American Robin and Canada Goose.
The records split between backyard birds (55%) and waterbirds (37%), so a feeder in Sidney sees the familiar American Robin, Song Sparrow and European Starling, while Glaucous-winged Gull and others turn up on nearby water.
24 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawk.
Records peak in December and are lowest in June — about 2.1 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.
Saanichton, 3 mi to the south, has more species on record (303 against 297).
Daylight runs from 16 h 9 min at midsummer to 8 h 17 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:24 AM in mid-April and 5:10 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Sidney
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glaucous-winged GullLarus glaucescens | 25,077 |
| 2 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 21,383 |
| 3 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 19,514 |
| 4 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 17,578 |
| 5 | European StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 17,456 |
| 6 | Anna's HummingbirdCalypte anna | 17,245 |
| 7 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 16,859 |
| 8 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 16,507 |
| 9 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 15,876 |
| 10 | Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus | 15,809 |
| 11 | Spotted TowheePipilo maculatus | 15,209 |
| 12 | House FinchHaemorhous mexicanus | 14,795 |
| 13 | Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus | 14,413 |
| 14 | Chestnut-backed ChickadeePoecile rufescens | 13,214 |
| 15 | Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis | 13,208 |
| 16 | Northern FlickerColaptes auratus | 12,929 |
| 17 | White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys | 12,832 |
| 18 | Great Blue HeronArdea herodias | 12,398 |
| 19 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 12,264 |
| 20 | KilldeerCharadrius vociferus | 12,093 |
Records by month
What to put out in Sidney
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
- Song Sparrow
Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn
- European Starling
Suet · Cracked corn
- Anna's Hummingbird
Sugar water: 1 part sugar to 4 parts water
- American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- 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 Sidney?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Sidney are American Robin, Song Sparrow, European Starling, Anna's Hummingbird and American Crow, based on 713,416 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Sidney?
297 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Sidney?
Observation records peak in December and are lowest in June. Sunrise in late June is around 5:10 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.