Birds of Montréal-Est
What has actually been seen around Montréal-Est: 305 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 305 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 1,543,207 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Northern Cardinal
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 39 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 15.7 h / 8.7 h
What the records say about Montréal-Est
305 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Montréal-Est (Quebec) since 2010, across 1,543,207 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Northern Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadee and American Robin.
Montréal-Est is backyard-bird country: 71% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Northern Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadee, American Robin and American Goldfinch make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
25 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Turkey Vulture.
Records peak in May and are lowest in February — about 8.3 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.
Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, 5 mi to the south-west, has fewer species on record (299 against 305). Birds logged far more often around Montréal-Est than there include Gadwall, Swamp Sparrow and Common Moorhen.
Daylight runs from 15 h 42 min at midsummer to 8 h 41 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:10 AM in mid-April and 5:04 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Montréal-Est
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis | 57,988 |
| 2 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 57,165 |
| 3 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 52,659 |
| 4 | American GoldfinchSpinus tristis | 50,397 |
| 5 | Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis | 50,343 |
| 6 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 48,004 |
| 7 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 47,315 |
| 8 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 46,876 |
| 9 | Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens | 45,039 |
| 10 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 43,557 |
| 11 | Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus | 36,775 |
| 12 | White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis | 36,401 |
| 13 | European StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 33,594 |
| 14 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 31,922 |
| 15 | House FinchHaemorhous mexicanus | 29,045 |
| 16 | Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis | 25,907 |
| 17 | Northern FlickerColaptes auratus | 23,411 |
| 18 | White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis | 22,614 |
| 19 | Great Blue HeronArdea herodias | 20,974 |
| 20 | Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocorax auritus | 20,501 |
Records by month
What to put out in Montréal-Est
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- Northern Cardinal
Black-oil sunflower · Safflower · Hulled sunflower chips
- Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
- American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
- American Goldfinch
Nyjer (thistle) · Hulled sunflower chips · Black-oil sunflower
- American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- Downy Woodpecker
Suet · Shelled peanuts · 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 Montréal-Est?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Montréal-Est are Northern Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadee, American Robin, American Goldfinch and American Crow, based on 1,543,207 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Montréal-Est?
305 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Montréal-Est?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in February. 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.