Birds of Sun Peaks
What has actually been seen around Sun Peaks: 152 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 152 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 4,247 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Common Raven
- Busiest month
- July
- Elevation
- 3,937 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.5 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Sun Peaks
152 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Sun Peaks (British Columbia) since 2010, across 4,247 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Common Raven, Steller's Jay and Mountain Chickadee.
Sun Peaks is backyard-bird country: 92% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Common Raven, Steller's Jay, Mountain Chickadee and Dark-eyed Junco make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
17 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle and Turkey Vulture.
Records peak in July and are lowest in November — about 10.1 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.
Chase, 11 mi to the south-east, has more species on record (214 against 152). Birds logged far more often around Sun Peaks than there include Steller's Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Dark-eyed Junco and Canada Jay.
At about 3,937 ft above sea level, Sun Peaks 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 32 min at midsummer to 7 h 56 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 AM in mid-April and 4:45 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Sun Peaks
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 322 |
| 2 | Steller's JayCyanocitta stelleri | 314 |
| 3 | Mountain ChickadeePoecile gambeli | 242 |
| 4 | Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis | 233 |
| 5 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 220 |
| 6 | Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis | 204 |
| 7 | Canada JayPerisoreus canadensis | 174 |
| 8 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 166 |
| 9 | Pine SiskinSpinus pinus | 147 |
| 10 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 110 |
| 11 | Northern FlickerColaptes auratus | 108 |
| 12 | Clark's NutcrackerNucifraga columbiana | 98 |
| 13 | Varied ThrushIxoreus naevius | 89 |
| 14 | Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata | 79 |
| 15 | Golden-crowned KingletRegulus satrapa | 70 |
| 16 | White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys | 67 |
| 17 | Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina | 61 |
| 18 | Common RedpollAcanthis flammea | 52 |
| 19 | Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosus | 50 |
| 20 | Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis | 48 |
Records by month
What to put out in Sun Peaks
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- Common Raven
Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- Steller's Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
- Mountain Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Peanut hearts
- Dark-eyed Junco
White proso millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn
- American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Peanut hearts
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 Sun Peaks?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Sun Peaks are Common Raven, Steller's Jay, Mountain Chickadee, Dark-eyed Junco and American Robin, based on 4,247 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Sun Peaks?
152 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Sun Peaks?
Observation records peak in July and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 4:45 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.