Birds of Harriston
What has actually been seen around Harriston: 191 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 191 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 16,130 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- American Goldfinch
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 1,260 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 15.5 h / 8.9 h
What the records say about Harriston
191 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Harriston (Ontario) since 2010, across 16,130 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Goldfinch, Black-capped Chickadee and White-breasted Nuthatch.
Harriston is backyard-bird country: 86% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. American Goldfinch, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch and Downy Woodpecker make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Turkey Vulture and Red-tailed Hawk.
Records peak in May and are lowest in December — about 8.4 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.
Clifford, 7 mi to the north-west, has a similar number of species on record (188 against 191). Birds logged far more often around Harriston than there include Sandhill Crane.
Daylight runs from 15 h 29 min at midsummer to 8 h 54 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 Harriston
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | American GoldfinchSpinus tristis | 1,124 |
| 2 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 950 |
| 3 | White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis | 656 |
| 4 | Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens | 645 |
| 5 | Blue JayCyanocitta cristata | 621 |
| 6 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 574 |
| 7 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 557 |
| 8 | Purple FinchHaemorhous purpureus | 485 |
| 9 | Mourning DoveZenaida macroura | 467 |
| 10 | Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus | 388 |
| 11 | Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula | 386 |
| 12 | Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianus | 374 |
| 13 | Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis | 348 |
| 14 | House FinchHaemorhous mexicanus | 322 |
| 15 | Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosus | 319 |
| 16 | Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbula | 317 |
| 17 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 303 |
| 18 | Turkey VultureCathartes aura | 266 |
| 19 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 262 |
| 20 | Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis | 251 |
Records by month
What to put out in Harriston
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- American Goldfinch
Nyjer (thistle) · Hulled sunflower chips · Black-oil sunflower
- Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
- White-breasted Nuthatch
Black-oil sunflower · Shelled peanuts · Suet
- Downy Woodpecker
Suet · Shelled peanuts · Black-oil sunflower
- Blue Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
- American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
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 Harriston?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Harriston are American Goldfinch, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker and Blue Jay, based on 16,130 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Harriston?
191 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Harriston?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in December. 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.