Nunavut · 63.75°N

Birds of Iqaluit

What has actually been seen around Iqaluit: 91 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 91 within 6 mi
Observation records: 6,720 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Common Raven
Busiest month: June
Elevation: 46 ft
Daylight, June / December: 20.8 h / 4.3 h

What the records say about Iqaluit

91 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Iqaluit (Nunavut) since 2010, across 6,720 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Common Raven, Snow Bunting and Glaucous Gull.

Water shapes this list. 44% of records near Iqaluit are ducks, geese, gulls, waders, herons and other waterbirds — Glaucous Gull, American Herring Gull and Canada Goose lead them — which points to coast, estuary, river or open water within range. Common Raven is still the most logged backyard bird.

5 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Rough-legged Buzzard, Peregrine Falcon and Snowy Owl.

Records peak in June and are lowest in March — about 67.2 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.

Puvirnituq, 383 mi to the south-west, has fewer species on record (74 against 91). Birds logged far more often around Iqaluit than there include Snow Bunting, Northern Wheatear, Iceland Gull and Lesser Black-backed Gull.

Daylight runs from 20 h 50 min at midsummer to 4 h 21 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 5:06 AM in mid-April and 2:10 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Iqaluit

#	Bird	Records
1	Common RavenCorvus corax	1,129
2	Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalis	912
3	Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreus	688
4	American Herring GullLarus smithsonianus	427
5	Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus	421
6	American PipitAnthus rubescens	362
7	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	303
8	Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe	280
9	Common RedpollAcanthis flammea	258
10	Northern PintailAnas acuta	223
11	Red-throated DiverGavia stellata	181
12	Iceland GullLarus glaucoides	171
13	Horned LarkEremophila alpestris	167
14	Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus	153
15	Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus	118
16	Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis	97
17	Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatus	92
18	Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatus	73
19	American RobinTurdus migratorius	59
20	White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys	58

Records by month

What to put out in Iqaluit

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

Common Raven
Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
Snow Bunting
Cracked corn · Millet (scattered on open ground or snow)
Lapland Longspur
Cracked corn · Millet (on bare open ground)
Common Redpoll
Nyjer · Hulled sunflower
Horned Lark
Cracked corn · Millet (on bare ground)
American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets

Seasonal bird notes for Nunavut

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 Iqaluit?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Iqaluit are Common Raven, Snow Bunting, Lapland Longspur, American Pipit and Northern Wheatear, based on 6,720 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Iqaluit?

91 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).

When is the best month for birds in Iqaluit?

Observation records peak in June and are lowest in March. Sunrise in late June is around 2:10 AM.

Sources

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.