What’s that bird?

Here are some of the birds we see frequently in our area and some quick tips for identifying them.

American goldfinshes flying, perched and female colouring to showcase different identification features.

American Goldfinch

  • Small bird

  • Notched tail

  • short conical bill

  • males: bright yellow, black forehead, black wings

  • Females: duller yellow and olive

Learn more here

Killdeer from various perspectives to show the 2 neck bands, orange rump, and slender form.

Killdeer

  • Large round head

  • Large eye

  • Long legs

  • Robin sized, more slender

  • Brown upper, white lower

  • 2 black neck bands

  • Orange rump

Learn more here

Various perspectives of the red-breasted nuthatch to show its rusty under parts, black cap and eyeline, and perching posture.

Red-breasted nuthatch

  • Compact bird

  • Walks up & down trunks/branches

  • Short tail

  • Sharp pointy bill

  • Blue-grey back

  • Black cap, white eyebrow, black eyeline

  • Rusty belly

Learn more here

Various perspectives of the white breasted nuthatch. A bird perched on a branch shows it's grey back and white underparts with rusty patches, a second bird shows the bird walking down a tree trunk.

White-breasted nuthatch

  • Compact bird

  • Walks up and down trunks and branches

  • Short tail

  • Sharp pointy bill

  • Blue-grey back

  • White cheeks, a black/grey cap

  • White belly, rusty patches near rear

Learn more here

A black capped chickadee perches on a branch showing it's grey wings and rusty underparts with black cap. Another chickadee eats seeds from a hand.

Black-capped chickadee

Listen for:

Chick-a-dee-dee-dee and Hey-sweetie

  • Small bird

  • Black cap

  • Short pointy bill

  • Grey upper with white and rusty under parts

  • Boldly interacts with people

Learn more here

One crow perches on a railing showing it's smother feathers. A large group of crows perch in a tree.

Crow

  • Smoother beak feathers

  • Fan shaped tail

  • Usually in groups

  • Caws and purrs

  • More common than ravens in our area.

Learn more here

Close up of a raven showing it's bristly beak. Two ravens in flights showing their wedged shaped tails. A raven landing showing it's wings and tail feathers.

Raven

  • Bristly beak feathers

  • Wedge shaped tail

  • Usually in pairs

  • hops and skips on the ground

  • Listen for low croaks

Learn more here

Front view of a male and female northern cardinal showing off their contrasting olive and red plumage. A rear view of a male and female cardinal showing their contrasting olive and red plumage and crests.

Northern Cardinal

Listen for

What-cheer-cheer-cheer OR Purty-purty-purty-purty OR Metallic Chips

  • Male: Bright red

  • Female: Olive Brown

Learn more here

Front view of a starling with its white spots clearly visible against it's black feathers. A starling perched on stiff field vegetation in it's brown pumage. A group of starling sitting in a tree.

European Starling

Listen for:

Whistles, squeals, trills, and mimicking of other sounds

  • Medium sized bird

  • Dark colouring with white spots (breeding adults)

  • Usually in groups

  • Orange beak (breeding adults), pink legs

Learn more here

Red-winged black birds perched on branches. Male shows off his black feathers with red and yellow shoulder blazes. Female shows off her brown streaked colouring.

Red-winged black bird

  • Medium sized

  • Pointy cone shaped bill

  • Males: Black with red & yellow shoulder blazes

  • Females: Brown streaked with pale breast and white eye brown

Learn more here

An American Robin sitting on a messy nest on a lighting fixture. A male Robin with his darker head clearly visible. A female robin with her similarly coloured head and back clearly visible.

American Robin

  • Medium sized

  • Grey brown upper

  • Orange chest, white patch under lower belly

  • Males: Darker head

  • Females: Lighter head, similar to wings

  • Cup nest of grasses, twigs and mug

Learn more here

Tree swallows in various poses to show colour, shape of the bird.

Tree Swallow

  • Small sized

  • Long pointed wings

  • Short square or notched tail

  • Short flat bills

  • Males:blue green above, white below, grayish flight feathers

  • Females: duller colouring

  • Juveniles: Brown

Learn more here