Birds of Gloucester

282 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Gloucester (Ontario) since 2010, across 994,705 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-capped Chickadee, American Crow and Northern Cardinal.

Gloucester is backyard-bird country: 79% 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, Northern Cardinal and American Goldfinch make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

26 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawk.

Records peak in May and are lowest in February — about 4.2 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.

Elmvale Acres, 3 mi to the north, has more species on record (302 against 282).

Daylight runs from 15 h 40 min at midsummer to 8 h 43 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:18 AM in mid-April and 5:13 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

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

• Northern Cardinal

  Black-oil sunflower · Safflower · Hulled sunflower chips

• American Goldfinch

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

• American Robin

  Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets

• Song Sparrow

  Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

• Elmvale Acres3 mi north · 302 species
• Vanier6 mi north · 305 species
• Blackburn Hamlet7 mi north-east · 291 species
• Greely7 mi south-east · 240 species
• Le Plateau9 mi north-west · 331 species
• Gatineau9 mi north · 299 species