Birds of Bedford
What has actually been seen around Bedford: 254 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 254 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 130,587 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- American Crow
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 187 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 15.6 h / 8.8 h
What the records say about Bedford
254 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Bedford (Quebec) since 2010, across 130,587 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee and American Goldfinch.
Bedford is backyard-bird country: 69% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch and Song Sparrow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
22 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk and Bald Eagle.
Records peak in May and are lowest in November — about 7.8 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.
Venise-en-Québec, 8 mi to the west, has more species on record (277 against 254).
Daylight runs from 15 h 38 min at midsummer to 8 h 45 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:08 AM in mid-April and 5:04 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Bedford
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 4,632 |
| 2 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 3,776 |
| 3 | American GoldfinchSpinus tristis | 3,724 |
| 4 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 3,426 |
| 5 | Blue JayCyanocitta cristata | 3,413 |
| 6 | Mourning DoveZenaida macroura | 3,278 |
| 7 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 3,183 |
| 8 | European StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 3,011 |
| 9 | White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis | 2,788 |
| 10 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 2,768 |
| 11 | Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus | 2,727 |
| 12 | Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens | 2,628 |
| 13 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 2,586 |
| 14 | Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis | 2,507 |
| 15 | Turkey VultureCathartes aura | 2,297 |
| 16 | Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula | 2,225 |
| 17 | Great Blue HeronArdea herodias | 1,912 |
| 18 | Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis | 1,895 |
| 19 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 1,813 |
| 20 | Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis | 1,739 |
Records by month
What to put out in Bedford
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
- American Goldfinch
Nyjer (thistle) · Hulled sunflower chips · Black-oil sunflower
- Song Sparrow
Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn
- Blue Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
- Mourning Dove
Millet · Cracked corn · Black-oil sunflower
Seasonal bird notes for Quebec
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 Bedford?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Bedford are American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch, Song Sparrow and Blue Jay, based on 130,587 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Bedford?
254 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Bedford?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 5:04 AM.
Sources
- GBIF occurrence search (birds, class Aves, 2010 onward)
- GeoNames gazetteer (place, population, elevation)
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.