Birds of Pictou
What has actually been seen around Pictou: 259 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 259 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 171,454 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- American Crow
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 148 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 15.7 h / 8.7 h
What the records say about Pictou
259 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Pictou (Nova Scotia) since 2010, across 171,454 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Crow, Bald Eagle and Black-capped Chickadee.
Water shapes this list. 40% of records near Pictou are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — American Black Duck, American Herring Gull and Ring-billed Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. American Crow is still the most logged backyard bird.
20 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Bald Eagle, Osprey and Red-tailed Hawk.
Records peak in May and are lowest in February — 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.
Trenton, 6 mi to the south-east, has fewer species on record (254 against 259). Birds logged far more often around Pictou than there include Northern Gannet.
Daylight runs from 15 h 43 min at midsummer to 8 h 41 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:26 AM in mid-April and 5:20 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Pictou
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 9,489 |
| 2 | Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus | 6,720 |
| 3 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 6,258 |
| 4 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 5,652 |
| 5 | American Black DuckAnas rubripes | 5,451 |
| 6 | American Herring GullLarus smithsonianus | 5,363 |
| 7 | Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis | 4,842 |
| 8 | American GoldfinchSpinus tristis | 4,831 |
| 9 | European StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 4,566 |
| 10 | Blue JayCyanocitta cristata | 4,393 |
| 11 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 4,174 |
| 12 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 3,835 |
| 13 | Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocorax auritus | 3,666 |
| 14 | Common MerganserMergus merganser | 3,369 |
| 15 | Mourning DoveZenaida macroura | 3,274 |
| 16 | Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphia | 3,234 |
| 17 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 3,188 |
| 18 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 2,756 |
| 19 | Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator | 2,726 |
| 20 | Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula | 2,667 |
Records by month
What to put out in Pictou
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
- American Goldfinch
Nyjer (thistle) · Hulled sunflower chips · Black-oil sunflower
- European Starling
Suet · Cracked corn
- Blue Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
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 Pictou?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Pictou are American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Song Sparrow, American Goldfinch and European Starling, based on 171,454 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Pictou?
259 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Pictou?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in February. Sunrise in late June is around 5:20 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.