Birds of Summerside

199 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Summerside (Prince Edward Island) since 2010, across 18,665 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Crow, European Starling and Blue Jay.

Summerside is backyard-bird country: 64% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. American Crow, European Starling, Blue Jay and Song Sparrow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

13 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Osprey, Bald Eagle and Red-tailed Hawk.

Records peak in April and are lowest in November — about 4.6 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.

Kensington, 7 mi to the north-east, has fewer species on record (178 against 199). Birds logged far more often around Summerside than there include House Sparrow, Northern Gannet, American Tree Sparrow and Black Scoter.

Daylight runs from 15 h 49 min at midsummer to 8 h 35 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:30 AM in mid-April and 5:22 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

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

• American Crow

  Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• European Starling

  Suet · Cracked corn

• Blue Jay

  Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet

• Song Sparrow

  Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts

• Rock Pigeon

  None recommended — flocks crowd out other feeder birds

• Kensington7 mi north-east · 178 species
• Strait Shores25 mi south-west · 225 species
• Cap-Pele26 mi south-west · 220 species
• Cap-Acadie29 mi south-west · 218 species
• Tidnish29 mi south · 212 species
• Cornwall29 mi east · 215 species