Bird Chirps

Year-Round Residents As we start to see migrating birds return to Alberta, we take a few minutes to talk about a year-round resident, the Nuthatch. They get their common name from their habit of jamming large nuts and acorns into … Read More

Truly Odd Birds The Burrowing owl is one of our oddest birds. Their practice of nesting underground is their most striking difference but so too are their long legs and bright yellow eyes. The development of their long legs enables … Read More

THE ORIGINAL JAY The Eurasian jay is the original “jay” after which all other jays are named. Occurs over a vast region from Western Europe and north-west Africa to the Indian subcontinent and further to the eastern seaboard of Asia … Read More

ODD BILL SHAPE In our previous blog post, “The Finches of Winter” we mentioned Crossbills. We thought we would share a little more on these interesting birds. Crossbills feed on pine and spruce cones and its odd bill shape helps it … Read More

  If these frigid February temperatures have you thinking longingly about spring, we thought you might be cheered up with talk of hummingbirds. We will look at two species and talk a bit about feeders. Rufous Hummingbird The feistiest hummingbird … Read More

Birds of Prey The Osprey is one of the most widespread birds of prey and can be found on every continent except Antarctica. Did you know Canada supports one third of the world’s osprey population? They are superb fishers and indeed … Read More

Migratory Woodpecker The Northern Flicker is unusual for being one of few North American Woodpeckers that exhibits strong migratory behaviour. Those populations in the southern and central parts of the species’ range may remain in the same location all year … Read More

Common Redpoll As energetic as their electric zapping call notes would suggest, Common Redpolls are active foragers that travel in busy flocks. Look for them feeding on catkins in birch trees or visiting feeders in winter. These small finches of … Read More

When shopping for binoculars or other optics for birding, you are faced with a wide range of prices which can make choosing a daunting task. Purchasing top quality optics can be a substantial investment, and even if it you are … Read More

Much Loved Visitor Definitely one of the most researched of all backyard birds, the Black-capped chickadee is also one of the most loved backyard visitor. Comfortable in the presence of humans, delicate in the way they eat and most of … Read More