Birds of Val-David
What has actually been seen around Val-David: 184 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 184 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 73,791 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 1,066 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 15.8 h / 8.6 h
What the records say about Val-David
184 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Val-David (Quebec) since 2010, across 73,791 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-capped Chickadee, Blue Jay and American Crow.
Val-David is backyard-bird country: 88% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. Black-capped Chickadee, Blue Jay, American Crow and American Goldfinch make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
18 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Turkey Vulture.
Records peak in May and are lowest in November — about 2.7 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.
Val-Morin, 3 mi to the south-east, has a similar number of species on record (187 against 184).
Daylight runs from 15 h 46 min at midsummer to 8 h 38 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:12 AM in mid-April and 5:05 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Val-David
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 6,166 |
| 2 | Blue JayCyanocitta cristata | 5,560 |
| 3 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 5,089 |
| 4 | American GoldfinchSpinus tristis | 3,313 |
| 5 | Hairy WoodpeckerLeuconotopicus villosus | 3,177 |
| 6 | Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis | 2,937 |
| 7 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 2,682 |
| 8 | Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens | 2,577 |
| 9 | Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis | 2,254 |
| 10 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 2,176 |
| 11 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 2,157 |
| 12 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 1,766 |
| 13 | Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula | 1,638 |
| 14 | Common RavenCorvus corax | 1,587 |
| 15 | Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis | 1,582 |
| 16 | White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis | 1,534 |
| 17 | Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina | 1,287 |
| 18 | Purple FinchHaemorhous purpureus | 1,220 |
| 19 | European StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,161 |
| 20 | Mourning DoveZenaida macroura | 1,110 |
Records by month
What to put out in Val-David
Foods for the most recorded backyard birds here, from our species notes.
- Black-capped Chickadee
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts
- Blue Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
- American Crow
Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps
- American Goldfinch
Nyjer (thistle) · Hulled sunflower chips · Black-oil sunflower
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Peanut hearts
- 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 Val-David?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Val-David are Black-capped Chickadee, Blue Jay, American Crow, American Goldfinch and Hairy Woodpecker, based on 73,791 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Val-David?
184 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Val-David?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in November. Sunrise in late June is around 5:05 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.