Ontario · 43.22°N

Birds of Virgil

What has actually been seen around Virgil: 303 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 303 within 6 mi
Observation records: 455,083 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Ring-billed Gull
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 302 ft
Daylight, June / December: 15.4 h / 9 h

What the records say about Virgil

303 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Virgil (Ontario) since 2010, across 455,083 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Ring-billed Gull, American Robin and Northern Cardinal.

The records split between backyard birds (56%) and waterbirds (39%), so a feeder in Virgil sees the familiar American Robin, Northern Cardinal and Blue Jay, while Ring-billed Gull and others turn up on nearby water.

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

Records peak in May and are lowest in July — 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.

Thorold, 8 mi to the south-west, has fewer species on record (260 against 303). Birds logged far more often around Virgil than there include American Herring Gull, Long-tailed Duck, Bonaparte's Gull and Red-breasted Merganser.

Daylight runs from 15 h 23 min at midsummer to 8 h 59 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:35 AM in mid-April and 5:36 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Virgil

#	Bird	Records
1	Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis	17,895
2	American RobinTurdus migratorius	15,527
3	Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis	13,890
4	Blue JayCyanocitta cristata	13,490
5	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	12,642
6	American Herring GullLarus smithsonianus	12,105
7	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	11,985
8	American GoldfinchSpinus tristis	11,077
9	Mourning DoveZenaida macroura	10,660
10	Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus	9,986
11	House SparrowPasser domesticus	9,895
12	Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocorax auritus	9,874
13	Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis	9,594
14	European StarlingSturnus vulgaris	9,547
15	Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphia	9,003
16	Song SparrowMelospiza melodia	8,467
17	Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator	8,405
18	Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus	8,288
19	Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens	8,135
20	Turkey VultureCathartes aura	7,274

Records by month

What to put out in Virgil

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

American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
Northern Cardinal
Black-oil sunflower · Safflower · Hulled sunflower chips
Blue Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
American Goldfinch
Nyjer (thistle) · Hulled sunflower chips · Black-oil sunflower
Mourning Dove
Millet · Cracked corn · Black-oil sunflower
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts

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 Virgil?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Virgil are American Robin, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, American Goldfinch and Mourning Dove, based on 455,083 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Virgil?

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

When is the best month for birds in Virgil?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in July. Sunrise in late June is around 5:36 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.