Birds of Truro

228 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Truro (Nova Scotia) since 2010, across 68,031 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee and European Starling.

Truro is backyard-bird country: 70% 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, European Starling and Blue Jay make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

17 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Bald Eagle, Red-tailed Hawk and Hen Harrier.

Records peak in May and are lowest in August — about 3.5 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.

Milford Station, 24 mi to the south, has fewer species on record (201 against 228). Birds logged far more often around Truro than there include Northern Cardinal, American Wigeon, Great Black-backed Gull and American Coot.

Daylight runs from 15 h 40 min at midsummer to 8 h 43 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:29 AM in mid-April and 5:24 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

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

• European Starling

  Suet · Cracked corn

• Blue Jay

  Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet

• Song Sparrow

  Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

• American Goldfinch

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

• Milford Station24 mi south · 201 species
• River John28 mi north · 219 species
• Lantz29 mi south · 177 species
• Westville30 mi north-east · 246 species
• Enfield32 mi south-west · 160 species
• Pictou34 mi north-east · 259 species