Birds of Sydney Mines
What has actually been seen around Sydney Mines: 263 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 263 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 91,691 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- American Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 59 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 15.8 h / 8.6 h
What the records say about Sydney Mines
263 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Sydney Mines (Nova Scotia) since 2010, across 91,691 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Herring Gull, American Crow and American Black Duck.
Water shapes this list. 53% of records near Sydney Mines are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — American Herring Gull, American Black Duck and Iceland Gull lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. American Crow is still the most logged backyard bird.
17 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Bald Eagle.
Records peak in May and are lowest in November — about 2.3 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.
North Sydney, 3 mi to the south-west, has more species on record (280 against 263).
Daylight runs from 15 h 47 min at midsummer to 8 h 37 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:15 AM in mid-April and 5:08 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Sydney Mines
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Herring GullLarus smithsonianus | 6,671 |
| 2 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 6,069 |
| 3 | American Black DuckAnas rubripes | 3,754 |
| 4 | Iceland GullLarus glaucoides | 3,696 |
| 5 | Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus | 3,387 |
| 6 | European StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 3,177 |
| 7 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 3,173 |
| 8 | Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis | 2,832 |
| 9 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 2,627 |
| 10 | American GoldfinchSpinus tristis | 2,486 |
| 11 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 2,324 |
| 12 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 2,257 |
| 13 | Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocorax auritus | 2,218 |
| 14 | Blue JayCyanocitta cristata | 1,966 |
| 15 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 1,732 |
| 16 | Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula | 1,654 |
| 17 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 1,537 |
| 18 | Mourning DoveZenaida macroura | 1,421 |
| 19 | American WigeonMareca americana | 1,396 |
| 20 | Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator | 1,307 |
Records by month
What to put out in Sydney Mines
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- European Starling
Suet · Cracked corn
- Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
- American Goldfinch
Nyjer (thistle) · Hulled sunflower chips · Black-oil sunflower
- Song Sparrow
Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn
- Common Raven
Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
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 Sydney Mines?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Sydney Mines are American Crow, European Starling, Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch and Song Sparrow, based on 91,691 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Sydney Mines?
263 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Sydney Mines?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 5:08 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.