British Columbia is home to a diverse range of habitats, from coastal rainforests to dry interior grasslands. This variety of ecosystems supports over 500 species of birds, making BC a top birding destination. Some species are year-round residents, while others pass through on migratory journeys or breed here seasonally. Deciduous and coniferous forests host woodland species like chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers. Wetlands and lakes attract waterfowl and shorebirds. Alpine meadows and valleys provide habitat for songbirds like warblers and sparrows. Which birds are most frequently seen in BC? Read on to learn about 15 of the province’s most common feathered residents and visitors.
1. American Robin
The American Robin is one of the most widespread and recognizable songbirds in North America. In British Columbia, these thrushes can be found across the province in parks, backyards, fields and forests. Males have a gray back, black head and distinctive red-orange breast. Females are paler overall. Robins eat worms, insects and fruit. They breed in spring and summer, building a cup nest of grasses, twigs and mud in the branches of trees. American Robins are adaptable birds that thrive in habitats modified by human activity.
2. Dark-eyed Junco
Dark-eyed Juncos are medium-sized sparrows with gray hoods, pale pink bills and conspicuous white outer tail feathers that flash in flight. Several subspecies occur in BC, differing slightly in plumage details. These birds breed in coniferous and mixed forests across much of the province. In winter, they form large nomadic flocks that roam open woodlands and scrub in search of seeds. Dark-eyed Juncos are often abundant near bird feeders, foraging on the ground for spilled grain. Their musical trills are a harbinger of spring.
3. Red-winged Blackbird
Male Red-winged Blackbirds are striking birds with jet-black bodies and bright red shoulder patches edged in yellow. Females are streaky brown. Red-wings breed in wetlands across BC, building cup nests in marsh grasses and reeds. These highly social birds form large flocks outside of breeding season. Their conk-la-ree songs are a familiar sound near any wetland. Red-winged Blackbirds eat insects, seeds and grain. They often forage in fields, ditches and along roadsides.
4. Mallard
Mallards are the most abundant and recognizable duck species in British Columbia. The male has an iridescent green head, gray body, brown breast and curling tail feathers. Females are mottled brown with an orange and brown bill. Mallards breed on ponds, marshes, lakes and slow rivers throughout the province. They dabble and tip-up to feed on aquatic plants, insects and larvae. Mallards form large flocks in fall and winter, congregating where food is plentiful. These adaptive ducks frequent urban parks and inhabits areas altered by human activity.
5. Black-capped Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadees are active, vocal and energetic birds that thrive at backyard bird feeders. They have distinctive black caps and bibs, white cheeks and soft gray backs, wings and flanks. Their “chick-a-dee-dee” call is a familiar sound in neighbourhoods throughout BC. Chickadees excavate nest cavities in dead trees and stumps, using mosses and animal fur to line the interior. They form flocks outside of breeding season, joining other species like nuthatches and kinglets to forage for seeds and insects.
6. European Starling
Like them or not, European Starlings are now one of BC’s most numerous bird species. These stocky black birds have iridescent purple-green plumage in breeding season and pale brown spots in winter. Starlings nest in cavities in trees, cliffs, eaves and other manmade structures. Extremely social, they form enormous flocks called “murmurations” over wintering grounds. Starlings eat insects in spring and summer, switching to berries and grain in fall and winter. Often considered a pest, they are displacing native cavity-nesting birds in many areas.
7. Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Chestnut-backed Chickadees are close relatives of Black-capped Chickadees and replace them along the Pacific coast. They have brown caps, black bibs and warm chestnut brown backs. Their “chick-a-dee” calls sound very similar to Black-capped Chickadees. Chestnut-backed Chickadees breed in mature forests west of the Coast Mountains, excavating nests in dead wood. They form flocks in winter that mix with other chickadees, bushtits and kinglets while foraging in trees and shrubs.
8. Spotted Towhee
With their rusty flanks, black hoods and backs, and white spotting on wings and tails, Spotted Towhees are distinctively marked large sparrows. Their loud “drink-your-teeeeaaa” songs ring out from thickets and brushy areas across much of BC. Towhees scratch in leaf litter searching for insects and seeds. Dense shrubs and young regenerating forests offer ideal habitat. Brambles provide cover for their nests. Though shy, Spotted Towhees will visit backyards especially if thick brush is available.
9. Song Sparrow
Song Sparrows are familiar medium-sized sparrows with brown streaking and a bold dark spot in the center of their streaked breasts. They inhabit backyards, parks, fields, marshes and forest edges across BC. As their name implies, Song Sparrows sing constantly, marking their territories with clear melodious songs. They often perch prominently on low shrubs while singing. Song Sparrows eat mainly seeds and insects, which they find by scratching on the ground. They will frequent backyard feeders for millet and sunflower seeds.
10. Barn Swallow
With its long, deeply forked tail and iridescent blue back and rusty underparts, the Barn Swallow is a dashing aerial acrobat. Barn Swallows breed in barns, sheds, bridges and culverts, building cup-shaped mud nests to which they return annually. Colonies can include dozens or even hundreds of nesting pairs. Barn Swallows prey exclusively on flying insects like flies, bees and beetles, catching them in midair. These long-distance migrants winter in Central and South America but can be seen swooping over fields and wetlands across BC from spring through fall.
11. Brewers Blackbird
Male Brewer’s Blackbirds have stunning yellow eyes and glossy black plumage that iridesces purple in bright light. Females are plainer gray-brown but have the same eye color. This widespread species frequents parks, gardens, fields and wetlands in both rural and urban areas. They eat insects in summer, supplementing with grains and berries in winter. Look for them walking on lawns or perched on fences as they sing rich, bubbly songs. Brewers Blackbirds often nest colonially in trees near water.
12. Red-breasted Sapsucker
Both male and female Red-breasted Sapsuckers have striking red crowns and throats, bold black and white markings and a splash of red on the belly. This woodpecker drills sap wells into the bark of trees, returning later to feed on the oozing sap and trapped insects. In spring, drumming and calls of these birds echo through mixed and coniferous woodlands. Red-breasted Sapsuckers nest in tree cavities, often those they excavated in previous years. They are fairly tolerant of human activity, frequenting parks and yards with suitable trees.
13. White-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrows are large, boldly-marked sparrows with a namesake black and white striped crown. Their clear whistling songs are a familiar sound in overgrown fields, forest edges and backyards across much of BC. This species has striking yellow or orange bills, depending on subspecies. They breed in brushlands, forest openings and subalpine meadows. In winter, they forage in large nomadic flocks in open habitats. White-crowned Sparrows readily visit backyard feeders and birdbaths.
14. Pine Siskin
Pine Siskins are lively, social finches that travel in noisy flocks while foraging. Male siskins have yellow wing bars and tail patches that stand out against their streaky brown plumage. They have sharply pointed bills adapted for extracting seeds. In BC, Pine Siskins breed primarily in coniferous forests but wander widely in search of feed like conifer seeds, nyjer, thistle and alder catkins. Siskins are erratic winter visitors, only appearing at feeders in some years when food is scarce farther north.
15. Brown Creeper
Brown Creepers are well-camouflaged woodland birds that blend into tree bark as they creep spirally up trunks and along branches probing for insects. Their thin curved bills and stiff tail feathers are adapted for this specialized foraging behavior. Although small and inconspicuous, Brown Creepers have loud metallic calls that echo through the forest. These birds breed in old-growth and mature coniferous or mixed forests. They nest behind loose bark flakes or in cavities in dead trees. In winter, they join mixed flocks with chickadees, nuthatches and kinglets.
Conclusion
British Columbia provides critical habitat for a wide diversity of native birds as well as sought-after migrants passing through on Pacific Flyway. Some species like the American Robin and Black-capped Chickadee adapt readily to human settlement, thriving in cities and towns. Others like the Brown Creeper need intact old-growth forests to survive. As human activity puts pressure on natural ecosystems, conserving a variety of habitats will be key to preserving BC’s avian heritage. Getting to know the province’s most common resident and migratory birds is a rewarding place to start your birding adventures.