Birds of Saint-Thomas

210 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Saint-Thomas (Quebec) since 2010, across 106,320 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch and American Crow.

Saint-Thomas is backyard-bird country: 87% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Black-capped Chickadee, American Goldfinch, American Crow and Blue Jay make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

21 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Turkey Vulture and Bald Eagle.

Records peak in May and are lowest in February — about 7.1 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.

Sainte-Élisabeth, 5 mi to the north, has fewer species on record (196 against 210).

Daylight runs from 15 h 45 min at midsummer to 8 h 38 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:08 AM in mid-April and 5:01 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

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

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts

• American Goldfinch

  Nyjer (thistle) · Hulled sunflower chips · Black-oil sunflower

• American Crow

  Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• Blue Jay

  Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet

• American Robin

  Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets

• Mourning Dove

  Millet · Cracked corn · Black-oil sunflower

• Sainte-Élisabeth5 mi north · 196 species
• Saint-Charles-Borromée6 mi west · 209 species
• Crabtree7 mi south-west · 223 species
• Lanoraie7 mi south-east · 238 species
• Berthierville9 mi north-east · 266 species
• Lavaltrie10 mi south · 251 species