Ontario · 42.93°N

Birds of Waterford

What has actually been seen around Waterford: 225 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 225 within 6 mi
Observation records: 21,557 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Northern Cardinal
Busiest month: December
Elevation: 787 ft
Daylight, June / December: 15.4 h / 9 h

What the records say about Waterford

225 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Waterford (Ontario) since 2010, across 21,557 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Northern Cardinal, Mourning Dove and Blue Jay.

Waterford 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. Northern Cardinal, Mourning Dove, Blue Jay and American Crow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

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

Records peak in December and are lowest in November — about 8.7 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.

Simcoe, 7 mi to the south, has more species on record (263 against 225).

Daylight runs from 15 h 21 min at midsummer to 9 h 1 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:40 AM in mid-April and 5:41 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Waterford

#	Bird	Records
1	Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis	893
2	Mourning DoveZenaida macroura	879
3	Blue JayCyanocitta cristata	848
4	American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos	750
5	American RobinTurdus migratorius	731
6	Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus	710
7	American GoldfinchSpinus tristis	710
8	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	678
9	Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis	617
10	Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus	613
11	Song SparrowMelospiza melodia	585
12	European StarlingSturnus vulgaris	575
13	Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula	561
14	House SparrowPasser domesticus	553
15	Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens	536
16	Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis	368
17	Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinus	365
18	House FinchHaemorhous mexicanus	359
19	White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis	355
20	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	342

Records by month

What to put out in Waterford

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

Northern Cardinal
Black-oil sunflower · Safflower · Hulled sunflower chips
Mourning Dove
Millet · Cracked corn · Black-oil sunflower
Blue Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
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 Waterford?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Waterford are Northern Cardinal, Mourning Dove, Blue Jay, American Crow and American Robin, based on 21,557 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Waterford?

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

When is the best month for birds in Waterford?

Observation records peak in December and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 5:41 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.