Birds of West Kelowna

302 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of West Kelowna (British Columbia) since 2010, across 528,927 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Mallard, Northern Flicker and Song Sparrow.

The records split between backyard birds (59%) and waterbirds (32%), so a feeder in West Kelowna sees the familiar Northern Flicker, Song Sparrow and American Robin, while Mallard and others turn up on nearby water.

27 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red-tailed Hawk, Bald Eagle and Osprey.

Records peak in May and are lowest in July — about 2.9 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.

Peachland, 10 mi to the south-west, has fewer species on record (238 against 302). Birds logged far more often around West Kelowna than there include Red-winged Blackbird, Ring-billed Gull, American Coot and Gadwall.

Daylight runs from 16 h 21 min at midsummer to 8 h 6 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 AM in mid-April and 4:49 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

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

• Northern Flicker

  Suet · Peanut hearts

• Song Sparrow

  Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

• American Robin

  Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets

• European Starling

  Suet · Cracked corn

• House Finch

  Black-oil sunflower · Hulled sunflower · Nyjer

• American Goldfinch

  Nyjer (thistle) · Hulled sunflower chips · Black-oil sunflower

• Peachland10 mi south-west · 238 species
• Ellison11 mi north-east · 306 species
• Naramata18 mi south · 259 species
• Summerland19 mi south · 241 species
• Oyama20 mi north-east · 246 species
• Coldstream30 mi north-east · 257 species