Birds of Elmira
What has actually been seen around Elmira: 255 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 255 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 168,522 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 1,165 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 15.4 h / 8.9 h
What the records say about Elmira
255 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Elmira (Ontario) since 2010, across 168,522 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-capped Chickadee, American Crow and Canada Goose.
Elmira is backyard-bird country: 71% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Black-capped Chickadee, American Crow, American Robin and Red-winged Blackbird make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
22 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture and Bald Eagle.
Records peak in May and are lowest in January — about 3.7 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.
St. Jacobs, 5 mi to the south, has more species on record (280 against 255). Birds logged far more often around Elmira than there include Rough-legged Buzzard.
Daylight runs from 15 h 26 min at midsummer to 8 h 56 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:41 AM in mid-April and 5:40 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Elmira
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 6,682 |
| 2 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 6,611 |
| 3 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 6,022 |
| 4 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 5,944 |
| 5 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 5,862 |
| 6 | Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus | 5,430 |
| 7 | Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis | 5,347 |
| 8 | Blue JayCyanocitta cristata | 5,219 |
| 9 | European StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 5,105 |
| 10 | American GoldfinchSpinus tristis | 5,057 |
| 11 | Mourning DoveZenaida macroura | 5,007 |
| 12 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 4,835 |
| 13 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 4,339 |
| 14 | Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens | 3,993 |
| 15 | Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula | 3,422 |
| 16 | Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis | 3,298 |
| 17 | Great Blue HeronArdea herodias | 3,269 |
| 18 | White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis | 3,034 |
| 19 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 3,006 |
| 20 | Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis | 2,947 |
Records by month
What to put out in Elmira
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
- American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
- Red-winged Blackbird
Cracked corn · Millet · Sunflower
- Northern Cardinal
Black-oil sunflower · Safflower · Hulled sunflower chips
- Blue Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
Seasonal bird notes for Ontario
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 Elmira?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Elmira are Black-capped Chickadee, American Crow, American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird and Northern Cardinal, based on 168,522 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Elmira?
255 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Elmira?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in January. Sunrise in late June is around 5:40 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.