B.C. boasts Canada’s greatest diversity of wintering birds, especially in the southwest of the province, according to a citizen-science survey conducted in backyards.
A total of 2,227 British Columbians participated in the annual Great Backyard Bird Count over four days in February, recording a total of 206 species.
Metro Vancouver recorded the most species at 150, followed by Victoria’s Capital region at 145 — both areas that generally benefit from warmer temperatures and less snow than other parts of the country.
Ontario came in second with 158 species despite having more than three times the participants, at 7,158.
Nova Scotia recorded 135 species, Quebec 120, New Brunswick, 94, and Alberta 91.
A total of 42 persons recorded 17 species in the Northwest Territories, and it took three persons to score just one backyard bird species — a common raven — in Nunavut, where it’s still too cold for migratory breeding birds.
The survey is sponsored by Bird Studies Canada, Cornell (University) Lab of Ornithology and Audubon and is meant to spur public interest in birding and nature, while providing information on population changes.
David Bradley, B.C. program manager for Bird Studies Canada, said in an interview from Westham Island in Delta that Anna’s hummingbird, with its spectacular iridescent feathers, is now a year-round resident of Metro Vancouver, where birders maintain feeders throughout the winter.
“They’re very common now in backyard gardens, but weren’t there 20 years ago.”
Participants need only spend 15 minutes looking for birds to participate in the count.
“The easier it is, the more people that get involved,” Bradley said.
Statistics are not available for B.C. alone, but across North America the northern cardinal proved to be the most frequently reported bird, followed by the American crow, mourning dove, dark-eyed junco and downy woodpecker.
The snow goose is the most numerous species observed from backyards across the continent, followed by red-winged blackbird, Canada goose, European starling and mallard duck.
