Birds of Sydenham

235 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Sydenham (Ontario) since 2010, across 58,644 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch and American Crow.

Sydenham is backyard-bird country: 78% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch, American Crow and Blue Jay make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

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

Records peak in May and are lowest in February — about 4.8 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.

Meaford, 10 mi to the east, has fewer species on record (219 against 235). Birds logged far more often around Sydenham than there include Mallard, Brown Creeper, Ruffed Grouse and Swamp Sparrow.

Daylight runs from 15 h 34 min at midsummer to 8 h 49 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:40 AM in mid-April and 5:37 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 Goldfinch

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

• American Crow

  Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• Blue Jay

  Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet

• American Robin

  Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets

• Mourning Dove

  Millet · Cracked corn · Black-oil sunflower

• Meaford10 mi east · 219 species
• The Blue Mountains17 mi east · 234 species
• Markdale19 mi south-east · 178 species
• Wiarton21 mi north-west · 248 species
• Port Elgin30 mi west · 268 species
• Hanover31 mi south · 202 species