Birdwatching in Alberta

Alberta is not only known for its Canadian Badlands and Drumheller the "Dinosaur Capital of The World", but with 385 bird species on record also a place great for birding.
During the last ice age thousands of shallow potholes were created on the prairie. Filling with water when the snow melts in spring makes it the “Duck Factory of North America”. Every pothole becomes a breeding ground for Ducks, Grebes, Geese and Loons. Terns, Gulls and Coots also breed here, but the most famous of all breeding birds in Alberta has to be the Whooping Crane, who nest only in the Wood Buffalo National Park in the northern part of the province.
Beaverhills Lake close to Edmonton is famous for the migration of hundreds of thousands Snow Geese, Sandhill Cranes, White Pelicans, Tundra Swans and immense numbers of waders.
On the western border you enter the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, where you will find breeding birds like Common and Barrow’s Goldeneye and Harlequin Duck. The many mountain streams and lakes are home to American Dippers and in the alpine meadows a wide variety of Sparrows nest.
Eagles, Hawks, Owls and other raptors together with large mammals like Grizzlies Bears are common sights.
In the “Badlands” around Medicine Hat Burrowing Owls nest and in the Lake Newel area you will find Partridge and Grouse.
As you travel Alberta you will find a number of local Birdingpal willing to help you make your trip memorable.

Check our personalized year round birdwatching tours in Alberta for small groups

Local Birdingpal Contacts

Local Birdwatchers Please note that most Birdingpals are serious birdwatchers. It is a privilege to contact them, and your message should reflect it. A local Pal does not get paid, but should he/she offer to take you out birding, using their own vehicle, it would be courteous to pay for the fuel. A lunch and/or a small gift would also be appropriate, something as simple as a souvenir of your country, or a pin from your local birding club.
		Initial	Last Name	Area	Available	Language
		D	Cambell	Calgary	Anytime	English
		Within two hours of Calgary we have the Rocky Mountains as well as wonderful wetland and prairie habitat. Lots of diversity. Unfortunately, there's no guidebook still in print to the great birding areas around Calgary. That's where I can help out. Another great resource is the yahoo chat group "Albertabird". Everyone is very helpful if someone is looking for a specific bird near here... As a busy working Mom with two young daughters, I can't usually go out birding with folks, but if the timing is right this is still a possibility.
		T	McCreath	Calgary	Anytime
		J	Allison	Calgary	Weekend	English/French
		Centrally located in the southern Alberta foothills, Calgary is convenient to both the prarie habitats to the East of town (towards Drumheller and Brooks), and the Rocky Mountain habitats, to the West (Kananaskis Country, and Banff & Yoho National parks). That being said, southern Alberta is a very large area, and cannot be simply covered in a day. Visiting birders would be well-advised to pick the area(s) they visit, based on the specific species that they wish to see. I am an experienced (17 years) birder. Most of my experience is from within North America, but I have also birded overseas, particularly in the Republic of Korea, where I lived for 16 months. I thoroughly enjoy getting out with Birdingpals who are visiting the Calgary (or Banff) area, if my schedule permits. A list of species that you would particularly like to see (if any) would be most helpful in planning any excursion(s).
		A	Laing	Claresholm	Anytime	English
		Clear Lake, a rural area east of Claresholm/Stavely. Great for water fowl April/May and September. Avocets, stilts, pelicans.
		J	Dombroskie	Edmonton	Anytime	English/French some Spanish
		I am interested in all aspects of natural history and have collected and birded in much of Alberta and surrounding provinces and states.
		T	McDonald	Edmonton	Anytime	English
		Z	Gambino	Edmonton	Anytime
		S	Gosche	Edmonton	Weekend
		T	Hindmarch	Edmonton	Anytime	English/French Russian
		C	Keill	Edmonton	Weekend	English/French
		I	Wallis	Ferintosh	Anytime	English
		We're experienced amateurs who enjoy bird watching and photography. We live on a minor spring migration flyway, in the countryside near Beaverhill Lake (about one hour south east of Edmonton) Alberta. We welcome inquiries for information and would enjoy providing visitors with locations, species lists, travel hints and coffee.
		L	Ball	Fort McMurray	Anytime	English
		Fort McMurray surprises many birdwatchers with the abundant bird life here particularly during migration. We have several popular bird watching sites including woodland trails, borrow pits and lakes. Best birding time is late May to end of July. Bring your bug spray. The Wood Buffalo Wild Bird Club is small but we have an active email network, where we post sightings and arrange occasional outings. We host an annual spring count and winter count and have kept records for over 20 years. I have lived in the area for 28 years and began birding, when I moved to a home on the greenbelt 9 years ago. My backyard is fully treed and has 8 feeders and a pond, so I do much birdwatching right out my kitchen window.
		G	Popp	Kramer Pond	Anytime
		L	O'Connor	Medicine Hat/Empress	Anytime	English
		I live about 90 miles north of Medicine Hat along the Alberta/Sask border in a small town called Empress, so the area i can tour is Medicine Hat, Brooks, Oyen and Empress. I have been birding for about 10 years, familiar with sounds of birds as well, example grasshopper sparrows...which can be hard to see if you dont hear them 1st. I work 3 days week, but with enough notice I can tour fellow birders.
Professional Guides
		Initial	Last Name	Area	Available	Language

Local Information

	Name	Description
	Federation of Alberta Naturalists	Club
	The Calgary Field Naturalists' Society	Club
	Edmonton Nature Club	Club
	Weaselhead Society	Club
	Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary	Club
	Prairie Potholes and Parks	Sites
	Birds of the Mt. Robson Area	Sites
	Alberta Grasslands	Sites
	Birding Hotspots around the world	Sites
	Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park	Songbird Festival
	Saskatoon Island Provincial Park	Swan Festival
	Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia	Alberta
	Local weather	Yahoo
	Electronic maps	MapQuest
	Find lowest prices for field guides, books, maps etc.
	Field guides recommended by Birdingpals
	Printable bird check list

Last update 10/06/2009