Birds of Estevan

242 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Estevan (Saskatchewan) since 2010, across 23,148 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are Canada Goose, House Sparrow and American Robin.

Estevan is backyard-bird country: 66% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. House Sparrow, American Robin, Mourning Dove and Black-capped Chickadee make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

19 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Swainson's Hawk, Merlin and Turkey Vulture.

Records peak in June and are lowest in November — about 10.8 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.

Oxbow, 38 mi to the east, has fewer species on record (146 against 242). Birds logged far more often around Estevan than there include Black-capped Chickadee, House Finch, Eurasian Collared-Dove and White-breasted Nuthatch.

At about 1,847 ft above sea level, Estevan sits higher than most places in Saskatchewan. Spring arrives a little later with height, and feeders matter more in cold snaps — keep a supply of high-fat food going through late winter and early spring.

Daylight runs from 16 h 14 min at midsummer to 8 h 12 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:02 AM in mid-April and 4:46 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

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

• House Sparrow

  Millet · Cracked corn

• American Robin

  Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets

• Mourning Dove

  Millet · Cracked corn · Black-oil sunflower

• Black-capped Chickadee

  Black-oil sunflower · Suet · Shelled peanuts

• Red-winged Blackbird

  Cracked corn · Millet · Sunflower

• Common Grackle

  Cracked corn · Sunflower

• Oxbow38 mi east · 146 species
• Carlyle47 mi north-east · 150 species
• Weyburn54 mi north-west · 180 species
• Kipling69 mi north · 132 species
• Grenfell89 mi north · 106 species
• Melita90 mi east · 198 species