Birds of Watson Lake

214 bird species have been recorded within 6 mi of the centre of Watson Lake (Yukon) since 2010, across 25,648 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are American Robin, Common Raven and Short-billed Gull.

Watson Lake is backyard-bird country: 61% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and yard trees. American Robin, Common Raven, American Crow and Yellow-rumped Warbler make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.

16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Bald Eagle.

Records peak in May and are lowest in December — about 103.9 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.

Fort Nelson, 228 mi to the east, has fewer species on record (172 against 214). Birds logged far more often around Watson Lake than there include Short-billed Gull, Common Loon, Red-necked Grebe and Violet-green Swallow.

At about 2,225 ft above sea level, Watson Lake sits higher than most places in Yukon. 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 18 h 54 min at midsummer to 5 h 51 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:20 AM in mid-April and 4:09 AM in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.

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

• American Robin

  Mealworms · Chopped apple and berries · Suet nuggets

• Common Raven

  Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• American Crow

  Cracked corn · Peanuts in the shell · Suet scraps

• Yellow-rumped Warbler

  Suet · Hulled sunflower

• Dark-eyed Junco

  White proso millet · Hulled sunflower · Cracked corn

• Tree Swallow

  Crushed eggshells in spring

• Fort Nelson228 mi east · 172 species
• Fort Simpson276 mi north-east · 195 species
• Smithers369 mi south · 218 species
• Hudson's Hope373 mi south-east · 181 species
• Telkwa376 mi south · 209 species
• Mackenzie386 mi south-east · 223 species