Birds of Whistler
What has actually been seen around Whistler: 224 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 224 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 45,610 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- American Crow
- Busiest month
- April
- Elevation
- 2,208 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.4 h / 8.1 h
What the records say about Whistler
224 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Whistler (British Columbia) since 2010, across 45,610 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Crow, Steller's Jay and American Robin.
Whistler is backyard-bird country: 75% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. American Crow, Steller's Jay, American Robin and Dark-eyed Junco make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
22 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Osprey, Bald Eagle and Merlin.
Records peak in April and are lowest in January — about 7.0 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.
Pemberton, 15 mi to the north-east, has fewer species on record (218 against 224). Birds logged far more often around Whistler than there include Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Common Merganser, Canada Jay and American Coot.
At about 2,208 ft above sea level, Whistler 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 24 min at midsummer to 8 h 3 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:20 AM in mid-April and 5:01 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Whistler
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 2,409 |
| 2 | Steller's JayCyanocitta stelleri | 2,188 |
| 3 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 2,133 |
| 4 | Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis | 1,982 |
| 5 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 1,906 |
| 6 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 1,421 |
| 7 | Chestnut-backed ChickadeePoecile rufescens | 1,312 |
| 8 | White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys | 1,279 |
| 9 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,170 |
| 10 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,153 |
| 11 | Pine SiskinSpinus pinus | 1,118 |
| 12 | Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata | 1,090 |
| 13 | Northern FlickerColaptes auratus | 998 |
| 14 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 939 |
| 15 | Common MerganserMergus merganser | 875 |
| 16 | Canada JayPerisoreus canadensis | 872 |
| 17 | Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis | 816 |
| 18 | Golden-crowned KingletRegulus satrapa | 812 |
| 19 | Varied ThrushIxoreus naevius | 726 |
| 20 | Yellow WarblerSetophaga petechia | 618 |
Records by month
What to put out in Whistler
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- Steller's Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
- American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
- Dark-eyed Junco
White proso millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn
- Song Sparrow
Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn
- 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 Whistler?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Whistler are American Crow, Steller's Jay, American Robin, Dark-eyed Junco and Song Sparrow, based on 45,610 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Whistler?
224 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Whistler?
Observation records peak in April and are lowest in January. Sunrise in late June is around 5:01 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.