Birds of Tofino
What has actually been seen around Tofino: 271 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 271 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 97,859 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- American Crow
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 66 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.2 h / 8.2 h
What the records say about Tofino
271 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Tofino (British Columbia) since 2010, across 97,859 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Crow, Glaucous-winged Gull and Bald Eagle.
Water shapes this list. 50% of records near Tofino are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Glaucous-winged Gull, Western Sandpiper and Short-billed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. American Crow is still the most logged backyard bird.
18 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Bald Eagle and Osprey.
Records peak in May and are lowest in February — about 9.1 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.
Ucluelet, 22 mi to the south-east, has a similar number of species on record (267 against 271). Birds logged far more often around Tofino than there include Western Sandpiper, Dunlin, Osprey and Whimbrel.
Daylight runs from 16 h 14 min at midsummer to 8 h 12 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:34 AM in mid-April and 5:18 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Tofino
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 4,553 |
| 2 | Glaucous-winged GullLarus glaucescens | 4,074 |
| 3 | Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus | 3,761 |
| 4 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 3,071 |
| 5 | Steller's JayCyanocitta stelleri | 2,318 |
| 6 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 2,207 |
| 7 | Western SandpiperCalidris mauri | 2,144 |
| 8 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 1,963 |
| 9 | Short-billed GullLarus brachyrhynchus | 1,684 |
| 10 | Belted KingfisherMegaceryle alcyon | 1,652 |
| 11 | Black OystercatcherHaematopus bachmani | 1,639 |
| 12 | Pelagic CormorantPhalacrocorax pelagicus | 1,567 |
| 13 | Pacific WrenTroglodytes pacificus | 1,537 |
| 14 | Golden-crowned KingletRegulus satrapa | 1,520 |
| 15 | Great Blue HeronArdea herodias | 1,484 |
| 16 | Common LoonGavia immer | 1,462 |
| 17 | Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillata | 1,392 |
| 18 | California GullLarus californicus | 1,347 |
| 19 | Chestnut-backed ChickadeePoecile rufescens | 1,347 |
| 20 | Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena | 1,332 |
Records by month
What to put out in Tofino
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
- Steller's Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
- Song Sparrow
Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn
- Common Raven
Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- Golden-crowned Kinglet
Suet · Suet dough
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 Tofino?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Tofino are American Crow, American Robin, Steller's Jay, Song Sparrow and Common Raven, based on 97,859 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Tofino?
271 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Tofino?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 5:18 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.