Birdwatching
Alberta is the only place in North America where the prairie, boreal forest and mountain ecosystems coexist. As a result, the province is a haven for indigenous and migratory birds. From the northern nesting grounds of the endangered whooping cranes and summer home of the rare trumpeter swans to the protected burrowing owls in central Alberta and hundreds of golden eagles migrating across our southern border, get ready for birdwatching opportunities of a lifetime.
Getting Started
Many of our provincial parks offer birdwatching vacation opportunities for independent travelers and for those wishing to join a guided interpretive program. Looking for a particular bird? For a list of more than 400 species of birds found in Alberta, get the Royal Alberta Museum’s Official List of Alberta Birds.
Birdwatching by Season
Springtime is prime time, especially for migratory shorebirds and waterfowl on the staging areas of our central and northern lakes. Summertime is for songbirds and guided interpretive programs. In the autumn, head to some of our southern parks and natural areas to watch a myriad of species—such as the magnificent trumpeter swans and golden eagles—migrate to their winter habitats. In the winter, Alberta birds of prey such as the pygmy owl and sharp-shinned hawk overwinter in the Banff townsite area now because of the abundance of sparrows, chickadees and nuthatches.
Birding by Region
Alberta Central
Lacombe’s Ellis Bird Farm is a conservation haven for mountain bluebirds, tree swallows and other native cavity-nesting birds. This working farm also boasts the world’s largest outdoor collection of bluebird nest boxes. A summer visit is a must and it’s free.
While it is best known for the American white pelican, the Lakeland/Lac La Biche area offers plenty of opportunity to observe some of the rest of the 230 species spotted here including bald eagles, ospreys, long-eared owls, grosbeaks and hairy woodpeckers.
Alberta North
Wood Buffalo National Park is Canada’s largest national park. Within the park’s boundaries is the Peace-Athabasca Delta, one of the biggest inland freshwater deltas in the world, where migratory birds from all four North American flyways pass through each spring and autumn. The park also protects the last remaining wild nesting area of the endangered whooping crane, as well as some nesting sites of the threatened peregrine falcon.
McLennan, known as the Bird Capital of Canada, is located 135 km (84 mi) northeast of Grande Prairie, in the “Mighty Peace Country.” Here you will find one of the most significant waterfowl staging areas in Northern Alberta, where more than 206 species have been identified.
In late April in Grande Prairie, the rare trumpeter swans are so numerous, the town celebrates their arrival at nearby Crystal Lake with a weekend festival.
At Lesser Slave Lake, the largest auto-accessible lake in Alberta—108 km (68 mi) long—you can observe hundreds of migrating songbirds on any given spring or fall morning. The Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory is the northern-most observatory in Canada. It studies neo-tropical migratory songbirds and has identified 23 species of wood warblers alone.
Alberta South
Don’t miss the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre, Canada’s largest facility devoted to this category. Situated on 70 acres of wetlands habitat just 10 minutes east of Lethbridge, the Centre is home to hawks, falcons, eagles and owls.
More than 220 species of birds have been sighted in the Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park. The park has a terrific selection of interpretive programs and events for children.
Over 250 species can be found in Waterton Lakes National Park. With its diverse habitats, there are many good birdwatching areas. One of the best is the Maskinonge Lake area, near the park’s entrance. Be sure to walk the Bertha and Rowe trails and the Carthew-Anderson Trail. And check out the aspen/prairie areas on the stretch alongside Waterton River.
From mid-March to early October, in the eastern parts of the park—especially Lakeview Ridge—you will have a golden opportunity to see hundreds of golden eagles in migration along the path of the front ranges of the Rocky Mountains. Best birding time is late fall, when you can spy large numbers of migrating waterfowl including trumpeter swans, Canada geese and many species of ducks.
Calgary & Area
Drop in for a free visit to the 32-hectare Inglewood Bird Sanctuary & Nature Centre where more than 250 species of birds reside.
Frank Lake (south) is considered one of the most important wetlands in southwestern Alberta for breeding waterfowl and shorebirds. It is less than an hour’s drive south of Calgary, just east of the town of High River.
There are many other sites in and around Calgary that host a diversity of bird life.
• Fish Creek Provincial Park (songbirds, waterfowl, birds of prey)
• Sheep River Wildlife Sanctuary (birds of prey)
• McKinnon Flats (songbirds, birds of prey, great blue herons)
• Wyndham-Carseland Provincial Park (nesting songbirds, shore birds, other waterfowl, 6 species of sparrow, and more)
• McGregor Lake (staging area for many species of waterfowl and shorebirds)
Canadian Rockies
Banff and Jasper national parks are world-renowned sanctuaries for more than 277 species of birds. Parks Canada describes a wide range of birdwatching areas in Banff National Park. Here's some favourites.
• Banff Townsite Area
• Cave and Basin Marsh
• Vermilion Lakes
• Johnston's Canyon
• Bow River—Banff to Lake Louise
• Bow Summit
One of the best birdwatching areas in Jasper National Park is on Pyramid Lake Road. Beginning in the Jasper townsite, the road winds through Pyramid Bench, a system of 20 small glacial lakes. Watch for barred owl, pied-billed grebe and Barrow’s golden eye.
At Bow Valley/Yamnuska Mountain you will find a large population of songbirds, hummingbirds, chickadees and woodpeckers.
Edmonton & Area
The Clifford E. Lee Nature Sanctuary, designated as one of Alberta’s Special Places, is the ideal place to take a trail walk with the whole family and spot waterfowl, grouse and birds of prey.
Other areas of interest close to Edmonton include:
• Whitemud Creek Ravine
• Wagner Natural Area
• Elk Island National Park
• Beaverhill Bird Observatory
• Miquelon Lake Provincial Park
• Wabamun Lake
More Info...
To find wildlife tour operators that specialize in guided birdwatching adventures, go to the Search feature on the top right corner of this page and click on Advanced. Select the Categories tab. Choose Activities & Adventures, select Wildlife Viewing and scroll through the list.Related Holiday Ideas
Additional Resources
