Birds of Hammonds Plains
What has actually been seen around Hammonds Plains: 231 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 231 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 241,376 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- American Crow
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 400 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 15.6 h / 8.8 h
What the records say about Hammonds Plains
231 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Hammonds Plains (Nova Scotia) since 2010, across 241,376 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee and Song Sparrow.
Hammonds Plains is backyard-bird country: 87% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Song Sparrow and Blue Jay make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Osprey, Red-tailed Hawk and 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 May and are lowest in November — about 2.5 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.
Upper Hammonds Plains, 4 mi to the north-west, has fewer species on record (187 against 231). Birds logged far more often around Hammonds Plains than there include Northern Cardinal, Rock Pigeon, White-breasted Nuthatch and House Sparrow.
Daylight runs from 15 h 35 min at midsummer to 8 h 48 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:32 AM in mid-April and 5:28 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Hammonds Plains
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 14,380 |
| 2 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 13,680 |
| 3 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 12,588 |
| 4 | Blue JayCyanocitta cristata | 11,932 |
| 5 | American GoldfinchSpinus tristis | 11,731 |
| 6 | European StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 11,107 |
| 7 | Mourning DoveZenaida macroura | 9,397 |
| 8 | Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis | 9,165 |
| 9 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 8,934 |
| 10 | Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis | 8,832 |
| 11 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 8,554 |
| 12 | Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens | 8,512 |
| 13 | Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosus | 7,640 |
| 14 | White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis | 7,239 |
| 15 | Common PheasantPhasianus colchicus | 6,099 |
| 16 | Northern FlickerColaptes auratus | 4,998 |
| 17 | American Herring GullLarus smithsonianus | 4,797 |
| 18 | Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula | 4,395 |
| 19 | Purple FinchHaemorhous purpureus | 4,170 |
| 20 | White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis | 3,892 |
Records by month
What to put out in Hammonds Plains
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
- Song Sparrow
Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn
- Blue Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
- American Goldfinch
Nyjer (thistle) · Hulled sunflower chips · Black-oil sunflower
- European Starling
Suet · Cracked corn
Seasonal bird notes for Nova Scotia
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 Hammonds Plains?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Hammonds Plains are American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Song Sparrow, Blue Jay and American Goldfinch, based on 241,376 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Hammonds Plains?
231 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Hammonds Plains?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 5:28 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.