Birds of Williams Lake
What has actually been seen around Williams Lake: 247 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 247 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 70,964 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- American Crow
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 2,211 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.8 h / 7.7 h
What the records say about Williams Lake
247 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Williams Lake (British Columbia) since 2010, across 70,964 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Crow, Song Sparrow and Mallard.
Water shapes this list. 41% of records near Williams Lake are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Mallard, Canada Goose and American Wigeon lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. American Crow is still the most logged backyard bird.
21 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Osprey and Bald Eagle.
Records peak in May and are lowest in February — about 6.1 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.
Hanceville, 41 mi to the west, has fewer species on record (172 against 247). Birds logged far more often around Williams Lake than there include American Wigeon, American Coot, House Finch and Gadwall.
At about 2,211 ft above sea level, Williams Lake 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 46 min at midsummer to 7 h 43 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:13 AM in mid-April and 4:46 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Williams Lake
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 2,889 |
| 2 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 2,523 |
| 3 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 2,419 |
| 4 | Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus | 2,398 |
| 5 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 2,236 |
| 6 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 2,098 |
| 7 | American WigeonMareca americana | 1,977 |
| 8 | Northern FlickerColaptes auratus | 1,812 |
| 9 | American CootFulica americana | 1,765 |
| 10 | House FinchHaemorhous mexicanus | 1,408 |
| 11 | GadwallMareca strepera | 1,372 |
| 12 | Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena | 1,224 |
| 13 | Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis | 1,147 |
| 14 | American GoldfinchSpinus tristis | 1,133 |
| 15 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 1,118 |
| 16 | Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata | 1,114 |
| 17 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 1,090 |
| 18 | OspreyPandion haliaetus | 1,086 |
| 19 | Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris | 1,070 |
| 20 | American White PelicanPelecanus erythrorhynchos | 961 |
Records by month
What to put out in Williams Lake
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- Song Sparrow
Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn
- Red-winged Blackbird
Cracked corn · Millet · Sunflower
- Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
- Northern Flicker
Suet · Peanut hearts
- House Finch
Black-oil sunflower · Hulled sunflower · Nyjer
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 Williams Lake?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Williams Lake are American Crow, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Black-capped Chickadee and Northern Flicker, based on 70,964 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Williams Lake?
247 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Williams Lake?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 4:46 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.