Birds of Gander

159 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Gander (Newfoundland and Labrador) since 2010, across 24,850 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-capped Chickadee, American Crow and Dark-eyed Junco.

Gander is backyard-bird country: 85% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Black-capped Chickadee, American Crow, Dark-eyed Junco and American Robin make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

10 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Sharp-shinned Hawk. A hawk that hunts feeder birds is among them, so set feeders about 10 feet from shrubs: close enough for cover, far enough that a cat can't ambush from it.

Records peak in June and are lowest in February — about 6.5 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.

Gambo, 22 mi to the south-east, has fewer species on record (123 against 159). Birds logged far more often around Gander than there include Rock Pigeon, Ring-necked Duck, House Sparrow and Common Grackle.

Daylight runs from 16 h 12 min at midsummer to 8 h 14 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:19 AM in mid-April and 5:03 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

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

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts

• American Crow

  Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• Dark-eyed Junco

  White proso millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

• American Robin

  Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets

• White-throated Sparrow

  Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

• American Goldfinch

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

• Gambo22 mi south-east · 123 species
• Gander Bay North28 mi north · 113 species
• Lewisporte28 mi north-west · 108 species
• Hare Bay28 mi east · 81 species
• Glovertown33 mi south-east · 143 species
• Centreville-Wareham-Trinity33 mi east · 91 species