Birdwatching in Ontario

Ontario is the second largest province after Quebec (Nunavut and Northwest Territories are larger but are not provinces). Thinly populated the northern part is made up of boreal forest and bogs making it nesting grounds for many migrant birds as well as boreal species. Carolinian forest cover most of the southwestern part and this creates excellent birding in the spring and winter, when the northern migrants are passing by on the way to their northern breeding grounds or southern winter destinations.
466 species has been recorded in Ontario and places such as Point Pelee NP on the shore of Lake Erie is famous for migrating warblers and one of the many popular places for spring and fall birding.
Spring and fall also offer some exellent locations to view migrating raptors.
In winter the great lakes become wintering grounds for many northern waterfowl and raptors like Owls and other northern species. The famous Niagara Falls has some of the best gull watching in North America during early winter.
Visitors to Ontario will find many local Birdingpals willing to help you get the most out of a visit.

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

Local Birdingpal Contacts

Local Birdwatchers Using the Birdingpal resources you must agree to the following: If you contact a local Birdingpal and make arrangement to go birding, you should note it is common courtesy to make sure you show up for the appointment. If for any reason you are unable to do this, the least you must do is contacting the local Pal right away. 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
		G	Kirsch	Belleville	Weekend	English
		I am an avid birder and bird photographer. The Belleville area offers a lot of great birding locations: H.R. Frink Centre, Quinte Conservation Area, Bayshore Trail, Prince Edward Point (1 hour away), Presqu'ile Park (30 minutes away), plus many spots along the Moira River, and many places in Prince Edward County. For more information about birding in Belleville, check out www.birdingandmore.com
		R	Dorio	Brampton	Anytime
		D	Witzell	Brampton	Weekend	English
		B	Hazelgrove	Brampton	Anytime	English
		Just starting... would love to join up with someone to do a little watching.
		D	Simpson	Brampton	Weekend	English
		New to birwathcing, and would like to watch with experienced birder.
		B	Landry	Brantford	Anytime	English
		I'm a senior who really needs a birding partner. My experience is fairly limited, but I'm pretty active and willing to learn from others.
		J	King	Bruce County	Anytime	English
		R	Curry	Burlington	Anytime	English
		M	Copeland	Burlington	Weekend	English
		I am near the Royal Botanical Gardens, Cootes Paradise, Mount Nemo, and the Canadian Center for Inland Waters were waterfowl such as Mergansers, Scaups, Bufflehead and such like to accumulate regularly. I am a Fish and Wildlife grad with interest in brids and in need of a birding buddey.
		A	Baranova	Burlington	Weekend	English/Russian
		I'm new to birding, looking for someone to learn from, explore the outdoors with, and maybe join bird counts, etc. I live near Royal Botanical Gardens, Cootes Paradise, Mount Nemo, Crawford Lake, Canadian Center for Inland Waters.
		P	Thoem	Burlington/Oakville/Hamilton	Anytime	English
		We are at the west end of Lake Ontario. Birding is good all year. Fall produces a flow of migrants following the shore of Lake Ontario. Wintering ducks gather here in many thousands in winter. We have good variety of land birds in spring and summer. Visit my web site
		R	Maciver	Cambridge	Weekend	English
		Tell me what species are on your southern Ontario wish-list and I'll help you find them! Cambridge is within day-trip striking distance of many great birding areas such as Point Pelee, Rondeau Provincial Park, Carden Alvar, Niagara Falls etc.
		T	Jodoin	Cornwall	Anytime	English
		I live near a forest so I see and hear birds a lot.
		R	Elliott	Delta	Anytime	English/Italian Spanish
		I have 250 acre farm in Chantry just north of Delta, in Rideau Lakes Township a rich and diverse habitat. We are on the edge of the Frontenac axis Biosphere Reserve which means we in an area were Carolinian Forest and Boreal forest meet and inter mingle. The Queens University Biology station located on Opinicon Lake (Rideau Canal) is about 1/2 SW of our farm. As for our farm our forest as been certified Eastern Model Forest under their FSC program. Its a hardwood forest with a maple (black and sugar) dominant canopy. It's home to many Warblers, Tanagers, Rose-breasted Grossbeaks, Warbling, Yellow and Red-eyed Vireos, Veeries and Wod Thrushs...to name a few. Access to our forest is along an old used concession road which also holds an abundance of edge species. You are welcome anytime.
		A	Massey	Dryden	Anytime	English
		I have been birding in Northwestern Ontario for 5 years and I would love to share with anyone what I have learned about this beautiful area of Ontario. We have found several Black Tern colonies and nesting Trumpeter Swans to name just a few of the wonderful outings in Dryden.
		B	Kinch	Elk Lake (Summer only)	Anytime	English
		I have birded the Timiskaming area for the last 35 years. We are located on the Montreal River at a small fishing resort and run a bird banding station in our back yard. We are a short distance from Hilliardton Marsh and Casey Marsh, both Ducks Unlimited projects. Always happy to show birders around.
		A	Rider	Forest	Anytime
		A	Salvadori	Guelph	Anytime	English/Italian Spanish
		I travel a great deal but when at home would be very willing to take visitors out. Our 'team' also band birds throughout the year.
		S	Myke	Guelph	Anytime	English
		I am persuing my life long dream of wildlife photography. I am interested to learn about good areas for bird photography. I am also interested in photo tours/trips.
		B	Weaver	Guelph	Anytime	English/some French
		Have been birding for over 40 years. Know the local hotspots quite well - Hamilton, Niagara, Long Point and Niagara Escarpment.
		C	Smith	Hamilton	Weekend	English
		The variety of habits in this area make it an excellent place to sample the avifauna of Ontario. I am a relatively inexperienced but very enthusiastic birder and am familiar with the birding hotspots in Hamilton and surrounding areas.
		A	Stiliadis	Hamilton	Anytime	English
		I have been watching differant species of birds in my backyard for the last 10 years.. We have a great variety of birds here.
		A	Goldsmith	Kanata	Anytime	English/some French
		Well travelled and interested in more travel, "ecotourism"..active in the Ottawa Valley's leading nature club.
		P	Mackenzie	Kingston	Anytime	English
		I am a retired Obstetrician with a life long birding hobby. Have over 700 for ABA area and over 5000 for world. I am willing to assist other birders with info re Kingston area which is rich in migrating and breeding birds. Kingston is at the origin of the St. Lawrence river as it flows from Lake Onatario. The Canadian shield area north of the city has breeding Cerulean, Golden-wing Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush and Yellow-throated Vireo. Amherst island has breeding Wilsons Phalarope and Upland Sandpiper.. Amherst can be good for Saw-whet, Long-eared and other Owls some winters. Kingston lies on migration routes for Brant in May and Greater Scaup in March. Prince Edward Point bird observatory is about 90 minutes drive from Kingston.
		N	Taylor	Kitchener	Anytime	English/some French wife speaks Dutch
		I have been an avid birder for over 30 years. I volunteer as a leader for birding outings for the Kitchener Waterloo Field naturalists.
		E	Smout	London	Weekend
		S	Kellestine	London	Anytime	English
		L	Manning	London	Anytime	English/Japanese Polish some French/Spanish
		I am a fairly active birder locally. I don't make too many trips out of town, but I know the local spots really well. My favourite spot is my local patch, Highland Woods. I have documented about 100 species in the woods alone. But I am familiar with all of the major birding areas in the London area,including Westminster Ponds, Kilally Meadows, Meadowlilly Woods, Warbler Woods, Kain\'s Woods, Medway Valley....just to name a few. My ID skills are good and I'd be more than happy to show anyone around. Shoot me a line!
		C	Rummenie	Midland	Anytime	English
		Availablle at selected times. Georgian Bay, Tiny Marsh, Wye Marsh etc.
		C	Crewin	Mississauga	Weekend	English
		I'm new for birding but really enjoy it, would love to join anyone. I'm available some weekdays and some weekends.
		P	Tamas	Mississauga	Weekend	English/Romanian
		I like bird photography and I can spend hours taking pictures of these wonderful nature's creations.
		A	Lauzon	Moonbeam	Anytime	French (preference) English
		Je demeures dans une petite communautï du Nord de l'Ontario et j'adore nourrir et observer les oiseaux tout au long de l'annïe.
		E	Marcum	Moosonee	Anytime	English
		Many breeding warblers in the area.
		O	Weir	Napanee	Anytime	English
		Birding around the Napanee area at times is very good. We usually have a good showings for ‘shore birds’ (waders) and other waterfowl during September, Oct, Nov, and Dec. Warblers in the area are terrific during the month of May. Owls are usually good to excellent in Dec, Jan, Feb. March?(sometimes).
		J	Haffner	Napanee	Anytime	English
		I have been a birder for 40 yrs. I frequent the Prince Edward Point Bird banding station and the conservation area around it. It is on par with Point Pelee for springtime Warbler migration and the fall Saw-Whet Owl banding program. I also frequent Presquile Provincial Park which is exellent for spring and fall shorebirds,gulls, and warblers. These two areas, along with Amherst Island are exellent for waterfowl as well. I am also a bird photographer and these places are very photo-friendly. Available some weekdays and most Saturdays.
		K	Cohen	Niagara Falls	Weekend	English
		A	Don	Oakville/Burlington	Anytime
		J	Watt	Oakville	Anytime	English
		I am the Director, Outdoor Programs for the South Peel Naturalists Club, a member of the Ontario Field Ornithologists and the Hamilton Naturalists Club. I usually bird within a 1 to 1-1/2 hour drive from Oakville-including Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara and Long Point. Guests are also welcome to join me, when I lead field trips for the SPNC.
		D	Perrier	Ottawa	Anytime	French/English Spanish
		I own a cottage on a lake with good birding near Ottawa.
		T	Hanrahan	Ottawa	Weekend	English
		H	Tremblay	Ottawa	Anytime	French/English Italian/Spanish German
		D	Sangster	Ottawa	Anytime	English/French
		The birding in Ottawa is very good as it is situated on the Ottawa River, which is a major flyway for many species. For the same reason it often receives many unusual species. The Ottawa bird info number is 613-860-9000.
		J	Castle	Ottawa	Anytime	English
		I	Wilkes	Ottawa	Anytime	English
		Ottawa is an excellent area for birding as it has several park and wetland areas within or close to the city. Birding along the Ottawa river can be excellent for waterfowl with occasional rarities showing up during migration. Parks such as Mud Lake and Bill Mason CA offer woodland and marsh/pond areas in one compact area. Within easy driving distance is Presquile P.P. which is excellent during spring and fall migration. Close still is Amhesrt Island which offers the chance to see as many as 6 or more owl species during the winter months. I have been birding now for close to 50 years and I regularly sites in the area and would be happy to provide direction to visitor and when possible spend a day birding.
		J	Pratt	Ottawa	Weekend	English
		K	Allison	Ottawa	Weekend	English/French
		I live in Kanata, just outside Ottawa. I have been birding for about 40 years and have lived in the Ottawa area for over 25 years. Ottawa is a great area for birds because it is situated so that some southern birds and more northern species breed relatively close by. This is a particularly good location in migration because the Ottawa valley provides a water corridor most of the way from James Bay to the St. Lawrence River which gives access to the Atlantic Ocean.
		J	Skevington	Ottawa	Anytime	English
		Although I live in Ottawa, I have birded extensively in Ontario and can give advice on several locations (for example I wrote a bird finding guide to Long Point and area). I am also an entomologist and general naturalist so if your interests extend beyond birding, I may be able to help out.
		R	Waters	Ottawa	Anytime	English some French
		I am a Canadian resident. I have been birding seriously since 1991. I bird 300+ days a year, I have seen over 250 species in the Ottawa 50K circle since Sept 2007. I have seen over 425 species in the UK. My local patch is Britannia Conservation Area/Mud Lake and the Ottawa River to the west of the city of Ottawa. I also photograph many of the birds I find. My yard list is approaching 100 species. If I cannot guide you personally- then I can usually find you another Ottawa Field Naturalist Birder who can.
		J	Gravelle	Ottawa	Anytime	English/French
		About me. I'm a 61 year old male. I'm not a super early riser. I don't own a car. I've been birding for 50 years. Yes 50 years. I don't consider myself a master birdwatcher. I'm still teachable. I live in the Sandy Hill area of Ottawa. I'd love to meet some people to go out birding with. I'll gladly share the cost of the gas. My most recent exciting sightings were a pair of Red-eyed Vireo. They were only six feet away in a Japanese lilac outside the building I live in. I live close to the river and have had the pleasure of seeing a Scarlet Tanager and a Mockingbird a few springs back. Looking forward to hearing from people and making some friends.
		B	Campbell	Ottawa	Weekend	English/some French
		I am a relatively new birder (have been birding for about 5 years) and I volunteer at the local bird observatory which participates in several bird banding programs.
		P	Levesque	Ottawa	Anytime	English/French
		I am a photographer and I have been birding for a year. I am hooked and would enjoy birding and photography friends to go on full day or part of days. Anyone from out of town..I could take you to some familiar spots.
		N	Davidson	Ottawa	Weekend	English
		D	Atherton	Owen Sound	Weekend	English/French functional Spanish
		My partner and I love to bird. Although, we love to do lots of other things - sailing, hiking, biking. We live approx. 2 hours north of Toronto along the Niagara Escarpment. In the spring and fall, we see lots of migratory birds moving along the Lake Huron shore.
		S	Romaniuk	Parry Sound	Anytime	English
		S	Rupert	Pelee/Leamington	Weekend
		T	Pepper	Pelee/Leamington	Weekend	English
		S	Mackintosh	Pelee/Leamington	Anytime	English
		If you are interested in our B&B (only open during the birding season) please contact us.
		D	Motz	Pelee/Leamington	Anytime
		G	Prieksaitis	Point Pelee/Rondeau	Weekend	English
		J	McAllister	Pt Pelee/Rondeau/Windsor	Anytime
		J	Thornhill	Peterborough/Belleville	Anytime
		C	Cartwright	Port Elgin	Anytime	English/French
		T	Roach	Sarnia	Anytime
		K	Perera	Scarborough/Mississauga	Weekend
		J	Glass	Tillsonburg	Anytime	English
		I am an avid birder and also a member of the Otter Valley and the Norfolk Field Naturalists Clubs. I live 45 minutes from the Long Point World Biosphere Preserve and Bird Studies Canada facilities. If you wish to bird Lake Erie shorelines I can help.
		C	Weseloh	Toronto	Anytime	English some French
		Birding Interests: General but professionally I specialize in colonially nesting waterbirds (gulls, terns, herons and cormorants). I have several colour-banding projects for these species and have blinds erected on some of their Great Lakes colonies for observations. I am amenable to taking seriously interested people to these blinds for photography or observations.
		A	Eadie	Toronto	Anytime	English/French German
		K	Rasmussen	Toronto	Anytime	English/Danish
		For a large city like Toronto located on the shore of Lake Ontario, there are some very good birding spots within the city especially in the spring and fall season. Within a few hours drive you will also find excellent parks like Pelee NP and Carden Plain to name a few.
		D	Boisvert	Toronto	Weekend
		R	Miller	Toronto	Anytime	English American Sign Language
		R	Aldred	Toronto	Anytime
		A	Fust	Toronto	Anytime
		B	Blake	Toronto	Anytime
		L	Todd	Toronto	Weekend
		T	Campell	Toronto	Weekend	English
		I live very close to an urban wildlife area (Leslie Street Spit/Tommy Thompson Park). I also live close to a section of the Don Valley - a forested area.
		R	Falconer	Toronto	Anytime	English
		Most trips would involve 1 - 2 hours drive to get anywhere interesting.
		C	Escott	Toronto	Weekend	English
		I get out birding in Southern Ontario when my work permits (which is not as often as I'd like) so I know my way around the Toronto, Hamilton, Niagara Falls and Long Point areas to the west; and Presqu'Ile and Prince Edward County areas to the east. Any one of these can be seen in a day trip from Toronto as long as you start early enough, which I'm not averse to doing.
		K	Shackleton	Newmarket/Toronto	Anytime	English some French
		Most of my bird watching has been in Ontario, but I have been to the Galapagos and the Southern Ocean. I consider myself a knowledgeable bird watcher. York Region can produce over 100 species in a day in mid-May and has varied habitat.
		J	France	Vankleek Hill	Anytime	English/French
		Within an hour or so drive of Vankleek Hill, there are some of the finest birding spots in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. The Morgan Arboretum and Ile Bizard are two well-known birding hotspots on the West Island of Montreal. Closer to home, Mont Rigaud has an excellent trail system. In Ontario, we can count on Voyager Park, Coopers Marsh, the nature trails near Alexandria, and the sewage lagoons of several towns, including those of Alfred. Further afield are the many sites around Ottawa/Gatineau and the boreal species found in Park Mont Tremblant.
		J	Coey	Victoria Harbour	Anytime	English
		M	Burrell	Waterloo	Weekend	English
		The waterloo area offers great winter birding for open country birds (raptors, horned larks, snow buntings), including some of the highest concentrations of wintering raptors in Ontario, especially Rough-legged Hawk. Snowy Owls are annual in winter and Bald Eagles are common along the Grand River. In summer the region offers a mix of breeding carolinian and mixed-wood plain species, with about 10 species of warblers the maximum one can expect in a day. Spring and fall migration is good along the Grand River for passerines, although not as good as along Lake Erie or Lake Ontario. A few small reservoirs are good for migrant waterbirds. There is very little opportunity for shorebirds in the region.
		D	Gascoigne	Waterloo	Weekend	English/French some Spanish
		I am a life long birder. We live fairly close to important birding locations such as Long Point Bird Observatory, Point Pelee National Park, Rondeau Provincial Park. There are local areas to bird which are also very good depending on the time of year. Visit my web site
		A	Dash	Waterloo	Weekend	English/Hindi
		I am living in Waterloo and looking for birding locations. I am a wildlife photographer and also conduct photgraphy sessions. My webiste is mentioned below for you all to see some of my work. Visit my web site
		G	Cassidy	Waterloo	Anytime	English
		We have some local Carolian Forests and about an hour from Luther Marsh.
		J	Montgomery	Waubaushene	Anytime
		D	Lockrey	Whitby	Anytime
		R	Reid	Windsor	Anytime	English
		R	Jones	Windsor	Anytime	English
		I enjoy birding but also have an interest in entomology and herpetolgy. Essex County doesn't have alot of natural space but what we do have is very rich and diverse.
Professional Guides If you contact a professional Birdingpal guide you must be prepared to pay a fee for guiding services.
		Initial	Last Name	Area	Available	Language
		M	Reid	Point Pelee	Anytime	English
		I have been leading local tours in the Point Pelee area for the past 5 years with organizations such as the Friends of Point Pelee during May, and with the Ontario Field Ornithologists in the fall. Growing up here in the Pelee area, birding as a passion came naturally and has continued with me for nearly 20 years. Sharing that enthusiasm with others makes it all the more satisfying. I love the outdoors in general, and have extended my knowledge to cover the flora and fauna that makes up our rich ecosystem here in southwestern Ontario. If you want to witness the spectacle and colour of the spring migration, or the often overlooked fall migration of raptors, warblers and Monarch Butterflies, I will be happy to lend you my expertise. Whether it is a one day trip, or a few days of exploring the local birding hotspots, let me help you make your Pelee birding experience all the more enjoyable by leading you on a customized trip that fit your needs…and adds to your lifelist!
		D	Milsom	Toronto	Anytime	English some French/Spanish
		President David Milsom is an expert birder who has led tours throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Antarctica. A keen nature photographer, he has learned much about wildflowers, butterflies, dragonflies and animals. His experience as an educator has enabled him to meet the various needs of his clients. His sense of humour, caring attitude and love of nature are all assets to his guiding of groups throughout the world.
		T	Sprague	Prince Edward and Presquile Provincial Park	Anytime	English
		Terry Sprague has been an avid birder for more than 40 years and has been leading interpretive hikes on all aspects of nature professionally for three decades. He identifies birds in the field by both sight and sound and has a firm knowledge of the nesting and migration habits of local birds. Terry is co-author of Birds of Prince Edward County (1984). He has lived in Prince Edward County all of his life and is familiar with all the good birding spots locally. Terry has written a column in the Picton Gazette on birds and nature since 1965, and owns and maintains his own website, “NatureStuff – Tours and Things”. He holds a diploma in wildlife management and ecology and is recipient of the 2002 Pioneer Conservationist Award from Conservation Ontario, and the 2004 Richards Education Award from the Federation of Ontario Naturalists.
		T	Beck	Ottawa	Anytime	English
		Tony is a freelance naturalist based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. His award winning photography appears in many books, websites, magazines & calendars. He teaches Birdwatching and Nature Photography courses both independently and through a variety of institutions. As a Freelance Tour Guide, he leads groups to many exciting destinations, including: All Corners of Canada, Tropical Pacific, American Southwest, and Neotropical America.

Local Information

	Name	Description
	Birder friendly lodging	Ontario
	Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia	Ontario
	Local weather	Yahoo
	Electronic maps	Google
	Field guides recommended by Birdingpals	Ontario
	Find lowest prices for field guides, books, maps etc.	BookFinder4U.com
	Bird check list	Printable
	Knud Rasmussen's guide to	Southern Ontario
	Read a Birdingpal's Trip Report	Ontario
	Ontario Field Ornithologists	Club
	Norfolk Field Naturalists	Club
	Hamilton Naturalists' Club	Club
	Kingston Field Naturalists	Club
	Kitchener-Waterloo Field Naturalists	Club
	Nipissing Naturalists Club	Club
	Pembroke Area Field Naturalists	Club
	Peterborough Field Naturalists	Club
	South Peel Naturalists' Club	Club
	Toronto Field Naturalists	Club
	Ontario Hummingbird Project	Club
	Essex County Field Naturalists' Club	Club
	Kawartha Field Naturalists	Club
	Holiday Beach Migration Observatory	Banding
	Ontario Bird Banding Association	Banding
	Haldimand Bird Observatory	Banding
	Long Point Bird Observatory	Banding
	Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory	Banding
	Canadian Peregrine Foundation	Sites
	Leslie Street Spit, Toronto	Park
	Algonquin Provincial Park	Park
	Rondeau Provincial Park	Park
	Thickson's Woods, Whitby	Park
	Presquile Provincial Park	Park
	Second Marsh Wetland, Oshawa	Park
	Bruce Peninsula	Sites
	Point Pelee National Park	Park
	Lake Erie Archipelago Islands	Park
	Hilliardton Marsh, New Liskeard	Park
	Carden Plain, Kawartha region	Important Bird Area
	Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre, Midland	Sites
	Hullett Provincial Wildlife Area, Clinton	Sites
	Prince Edward County	Sites
	Ojibway Nature Center, Winsor	Sites
	Minesing Swamp, Barrie	Ramsar site
	Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch	Sites
	Jacques Bouvier's	Birding St-Isidore
	Timiskaming Birds	Birding Timiskaming
	Humber Arboretum	Site
	Natural Heritage Information Centre	Information
	The Birds of Northumberland County	Information
	Toronto and Southern Ontario Birding	Message Board
	iONTBIRDS latest sights	iPhone
	Birding Hotspots around the world	Sites
	Prince Edward County	Festival
	Carden Natur Festival	Festival
	Breeding Birds	Atlas

Last update 26/01/2012