Birds of Waterloo
What has actually been seen around Waterloo: 221 species, the most recorded backyard birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 221 within 6 mi
- Observation records
- 75,464 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Busiest month
- May
- Elevation
- 689 ft
- Daylight, June / December
- 15.7 h / 8.7 h
What the records say about Waterloo
221 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Waterloo (Quebec) since 2010, across 75,464 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Black-capped Chickadee, American Crow and Blue Jay.
Waterloo is backyard-bird country: 82% 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, Blue Jay and American Goldfinch make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
19 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Turkey Vulture.
Records peak in May and are lowest in January — about 40.5 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.
Bromont, 7 mi to the west, has more species on record (234 against 221).
Daylight runs from 15 h 40 min at midsummer to 8 h 43 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:06 AM in mid-April and 5:01 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Waterloo
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus | 2,980 |
| 2 | American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos | 2,582 |
| 3 | Blue JayCyanocitta cristata | 2,545 |
| 4 | American GoldfinchSpinus tristis | 2,256 |
| 5 | Song SparrowMelospiza melodia | 2,116 |
| 6 | American RobinTurdus migratorius | 2,076 |
| 7 | Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus | 1,548 |
| 8 | White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis | 1,501 |
| 9 | Canada GooseBranta canadensis | 1,498 |
| 10 | MallardAnas platyrhynchos | 1,443 |
| 11 | Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichas | 1,372 |
| 12 | Red-eyed VireoVireo olivaceus | 1,330 |
| 13 | Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus varius | 1,121 |
| 14 | Northern FlickerColaptes auratus | 1,093 |
| 15 | OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla | 1,093 |
| 16 | Turkey VultureCathartes aura | 1,082 |
| 17 | Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula | 1,070 |
| 18 | White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis | 1,067 |
| 19 | Black-and-white WarblerMniotilta varia | 1,066 |
| 20 | Chestnut-sided WarblerSetophaga pensylvanica | 1,065 |
Records by month
What to put out in Waterloo
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
- Blue Jay
Peanuts in the shell · Black-oil sunflower · Suet
- American Goldfinch
Nyjer (thistle) · Hulled sunflower chips · Black-oil sunflower
- Song Sparrow
Millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn
- American Robin
Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets
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 Waterloo?
The most recorded backyard birds within 6 mi of Waterloo are Black-capped Chickadee, American Crow, Blue Jay, American Goldfinch and Song Sparrow, based on 75,464 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Waterloo?
221 species have at least one record within 6 mi of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Waterloo?
Observation records peak in May and are lowest in January. Sunrise in late June is around 5:01 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.