Birds of Sainte-Catherine

270 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Sainte-Catherine (Quebec) since 2010, across 321,770 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-capped Chickadee, American Crow and American Goldfinch.

Sainte-Catherine is backyard-bird country: 79% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Black-capped Chickadee, American Crow, American Goldfinch and Song Sparrow make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

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

Records peak in May and are lowest in February — about 5.5 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.

Nicolet, 6 mi to the south, has a similar number of species on record (274 against 270).

Daylight runs from 15 h 48 min at midsummer to 8 h 36 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:05 AM in mid-April and 4:57 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 Crow

  Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• American Goldfinch

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

• Song Sparrow

  Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

• Downy Woodpecker

  Suet · Shelled peanuts · Black-oil sunflower

• Mourning Dove

  Millet · Cracked corn · Black-oil sunflower

• Nicolet6 mi south · 274 species
• Bécancour7 mi east · 246 species
• Saint-Célestin10 mi south-east · 198 species
• Yamachiche13 mi west · 264 species
• Gentilly15 mi east · 222 species
• Saint-Narcisse18 mi north · 169 species