Ontario · 43.77°N

Birds of Willowdale

What has actually been seen around Willowdale: 282 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.

Species on record: 282 within 6 mi
Observation records: 765,022 since 2010
Most recorded bird: Northern Cardinal
Busiest month: May
Elevation: 577 ft
Daylight, June / December: 15.5 h / 8.9 h

What the records say about Willowdale

282 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Willowdale (Ontario) since 2010, across 765,022 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Northern Cardinal, American Robin and Black-capped Chickadee.

Willowdale is backyard-bird country: 83% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Northern Cardinal, American Robin, Black-capped Chickadee and House Sparrow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

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

Records peak in May and are lowest in November — 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.

Thornhill, 4 mi to the north, has fewer species on record (268 against 282).

Daylight runs from 15 h 28 min at midsummer to 8 h 55 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:36 AM in mid-April and 5:35 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

Most recorded birds near Willowdale

#	Bird	Records
1	Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis	47,063
2	American RobinTurdus migratorius	39,948
3	Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus	32,767
4	House SparrowPasser domesticus	31,411
5	American GoldfinchSpinus tristis	30,365
6	Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens	28,419
7	European StarlingSturnus vulgaris	21,786
8	Blue JayCyanocitta cristata	21,069
9	MallardAnas platyrhynchos	20,889
10	Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus	20,275
11	Song SparrowMelospiza melodia	19,908
12	Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis	18,384
13	Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis	17,471
14	Mourning DoveZenaida macroura	17,345
15	Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis	16,817
16	Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis	16,256
17	Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosus	16,107
18	House FinchHaemorhous mexicanus	15,139
19	Canada GooseBranta canadensis	14,986
20	White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis	14,465

Records by month

What to put out in Willowdale

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

Northern Cardinal
Black-oil sunflower · Safflower · Hulled sunflower chips
American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
House Sparrow
Millet · Cracked corn
American Goldfinch
Nyjer (thistle) · Hulled sunflower chips · Black-oil sunflower
Downy Woodpecker
Suet · Shelled peanuts · Black-oil sunflower

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 Willowdale?

The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Willowdale are Northern Cardinal, American Robin, Black-capped Chickadee, House Sparrow and American Goldfinch, based on 765,022 public records since 2010.

How many bird species have been seen near Willowdale?

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

When is the best month for birds in Willowdale?

Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 5:35 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.