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Bird Records Subcommittee Bird Study Group Christmas Bird Count Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas Need more birding information for Ottawa? |
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Ottawa has a rich and varied birding community with a long history dating from the middle of the 19th century. Amateurs and professionals — from Percy Taverner and Earl Godfrey through to today’s feeder caretakers and Safe Wings volunteers — have done everything from founding national institutions to having fun at an Audubon Christmas Bird Count. OFNC members are an integral part of this history.
Before you go…
Please read the Code of Conduct for birders, birdwatchers and photographers.
Birding at Bird Feeders
For over 50 years, the OFNC has had an active winter-feeding project that managed feeders at various location on NCC property. As of November 5 2025, the NCC will no longer permit this to continue on their lands.
The rationale provided is:
As the Greenbelt is the Capital’s conservation park, its mandate is to :
- Protect and restore ecosystems and natural processes.
- In addition to the many health and wellness benefits of its followers, bird watching is an accessible activity that brings people together visitors and nature.
- Unfortunately, feeders lead to changes in behaviour in birds, promote the transmission of diseases and can generate conflicts between visitors and wildlife.
- Birds do not need feeders to survive the winter, as they have evolved and have adapted to survive in these conditions.
- To encourage ethical birding and to fulfill its mandate the NCC will make available free binocular rentals at the Gatineau Park visitors upon presentation of identification.
The OFNC is not in agreement with this and continues to support bird feeding and especially in winter. OFNC feeders are located at Fletcher Wildlife Garden and the Museum of Nature on Pink Road. It is activity encompassed by the Birds Committee Terms of Reference to encourage interest in birds within and outside of Canada.
Feeding birds is consistent with the views of many scientific organizations.
For example, Nature Canada states:
“Feeding of wildlife is generally discouraged as part of the overall effort to reduce human-wildlife contact, conflicts and disease transmission. However, bird feeding is considered an exception to that rule, partly due to the fact birds do not become dependent on feeders – instead, birds tend to incorporate them into a ‘route’ that combines feeders and natural sources. The removal of any particular feeder along their route thus does not have the same impact as it might with wildlife who can become dependent on one particular food source.”
Cornell & Birds Canada directly encourage the feeding of birds through the citizen science-based Project Feeder Watch. The guidelines provide advice on keeping feeders clean and placing them where birds can avoid danger. They also advise that if disease is present or a raptor is a regular visitor, that feeders should be cleaned and taken down until the situation resolves.
Audubon notes that it’s a scientific fact – one that folks who already provide food for birds know well. Birds can provide countless hours of entertainment. But as much fun as they are to watch, it’s also important to remember that, by inviting birds to ur homes, we have a duty to keep them safe. That means regularly cleaning feeders, making windows bird-safe and taking other precautions. Not only does Audubon provide advice and guidance on feeding birds, it supports the initiatives with recommending and selling bird feeding supplies. During the annual Christmas Bird Counts held across North American, feeder watchers are encouraged to be active participants.
The feeders are especially attractive to young people who might not otherwise experience nature close up and who could develop a better appreciation of the wonder of nature in general. A speaker at a BirdLife conference noted that if children were not introduced to nature before the age of 10, it was unlikely they would ever develop an appreciation for nature. In the face changing climate, the more supporters of nature, the better.
Likewise, those whose mobility is reduced or who are facing other limiting issues, feeders offer an opportunity to enjoy watching the birds and learning their behaviours.Where do I go?
Where do I go?
Now that you are set to head off, the question is where to go. Ottawa has plenty of varied habitats that make for good birding all year round. You might want to start with the OFNC feeders at Fletcher Wildlife Garden which are maintained year round, and during the winter, at the Museum of Nature at 1740 Pink Road in Gatineau. You might want to try to discover favourite spots of your own. This will give you a good start Where to go Birding
What might I see?
Perhaps you want to have an idea of what birds of note are being seen in the area. The OFNC publishes a weekly birding report that you might check regularly. You are also encouraged to report birds that you have seen at sightings[at]ofnc.ca.
Another source of what birds are being or could be seen can be found on eBird. eBird is a real-time, online checklist program. It has revolutionized the way that the birding community reports and accesses information about birds. Launched in 2002 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National Audubon Society, eBird provides rich data sources for basic information on bird abundance and distribution at a variety of spatial and temporal scales. When using this tool, please be aware of Reporting Sensitive Species on eBird.
Why not do a year list?
In 1977, a series of articles in Trail & Landscape described a strategy to see 200 bird species within the OFNC study area in a single year. Although some things described in those articles remain the same, much has changed. The resources available now have revolutionized birding. Also, some once favoured areas no longer exist or are now rarely visited. Other new areas have become important hot spots. Some species have declined, and others are now more common.
Thanks to Greg Zbitnew this is an update/rewrite of that series. The articles also appeared in Trail and Landscape but are consolidated here to help in achieving the 250 species target.
Trying to see many bird species as possible in a single year in a specific area is quite a popular sport among birders. Although sometimes it can be a bit of work, it is actually quite a fun project. Aside from motivating you to get outside on a regular basis, it can be quite educational as you make efforts to identify more challenging species and learn about different areas to visit. If you can find a friend or group of friends to go out with, you can turn it into a friendly “competition” and a pleasant social event as well, and it is well known that you try harder if you have to keep up with someone else.
The challenge has been changed from “200” to “250” only to emphasize what is possible for an experienced birder with a lot of time available. The articles are really intended to describe a strategy to MAXIMIZE the number of species you can observe in a year in the most efficient way. The exact total is not as important as is knowing how to do better than you might have thought, without spending more time. This strategy puts you where the birds are and at the right time.
Here are the links to take you to these great articles. These articles coupled with Where to Go Birding will be some valuable tools out in the field. Good Birding!
Reference documents of interest
Two documents are provided for information and reference concerning birds in the 50 K circle of the Ottawa-Gatineau district. The documents were prepared by Dave Britton, on his own initiative, having drawn upon a number of data sources. He graciously agreed to share his work with the OFNC. The information has not been officially reviewed and the OFNC does not take responsibility for the accuracy, content, completeness, or reliability of the information contained in these documents. Nonetheless, the Birds Committee is of the opinion that the documents contain information that would be of interest to both novice birders and those who have birded for a number of years.
Thanks to Greg Zbitnew, these documents will continually updated so the information is as current as possible.
The Ottawa Annotated Checklist -December 2024 provides the most current information up to the end of December 2024. It covers information relating to all species counts, names, status, text or annotations describing the sightings and includes noteworthy records such as first record, late and early records, unusual summer or winter records and noteworthy high counts.
Rare Bird Detailed Records covering the OFNC Study area ( 50 Km radius of the Peace Tower, Ottawa) last updated on December 31,2024 is available at Annotated List of Rare Birds 2024 Update Since there is widespread use of eBird and the near certainty that any rarity is documented there, updates have relied almost exclusively on the eBird database.
Comments and suggestions on these documents are welcome. They may be submitted to ofnc.wtgb[at]gmail.com
I saw a bird. What was it?
You can get help identifying birds you’ve seen by contacting identifications[at]ofnc.ca.
Bird Records Subcommittee
The general purpose of the Bird Records Subcommittee (BRSC) is to provide a pool of technical expertise for OFNC members. The BRSC maintains a database that documents rare bird occurrences and serves as an educational resource for the club. Meetings are open to all members of the OFNC.
Any documentation of an unusual sighting is retained permanently in the subcommittee files. The subcommittee meets two or three times a year to review these submissions, which are in turn used to produce our checklists.
An example of historic documentation maintained by the BRSC is the Shrike Database that contains 103,466 bird sightings submitted by club members January 1, 1981 through May 31, 1986.
Ottawa birders come together to support a rare visitor
The hardy male Western Tanager that was frequenting the West Hunt Club community of Ottawa since late November, perished as a result of a window strike early in the evening of Saturday 23 March 2024.
This was the first time this species has ever been recorded in Ottawa, and the Ontario Field Ornithologists was pleased to be able to create the conditions necessary to accommodate both the privacy concerns of the local residents, and the incredible interest in this rare visitor to Eastern Ontario. In addition to the joy his daily appearances brought to the immediate neighbourhood throughout a drab winter – the homeowners named him “Sunny” – some 600 visitors from across Ontario, parts of Québec, and points farther afield had the opportunity to enjoy, photograph, and even paint this bird. None of this would have been possible without the initial alertness of the local community residents, and the subsequent willingness of a number of local birders who donated feed, funds, and time, to maintain the temporary feeder farm that saw him through the winter. The efforts of the Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club to provide feed, and to regularly remind local birders of both the viewing protocols and the ongoing requirement for food donations, was appreciated.
The Western Tanager is now a part of Canada’s largest ornithological collection at the Royal Ontario Museum for research and review. It is the hope of the Ontario Field Ornithologists – and the residents of the small neighbourhood that found him in life and in death – that the broader birding community will consider a donation to Safe Wings Ottawa https://safewings.ca/support-us/donate/ so that they may continue their efforts to raise awareness on the risks posed by windows strikes.
Aaron Hywarren
OFO Rare Bird Ambassador Program
Ottawa
Bird Study Group
The Birds Committee organizes talks and workshops on topics of interest to birders. Sometimes we cover bird identification matters, other times bird biology or bird-related projects. The sessions do not follow a set schedule, but take place whenever we get one organized. Most have taken the form of indoor, evening talks led by local people with a particular expertise; they are normally held at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden on a week night. The group has also held several successful “Talk & Walks” on seasonally appropriate subjects (e.g., fall waterfowl) on weekend mornings.
Any club member with an interest in birds might find a bird study group session to be of interest. There is no cost to attend, and really nothing to join. Anyone interested in receiving notice of upcoming bird study group sessions should send a note saying so, together with their email address, to the Bird Study Group at birdstudy[at]ofnc.ca. We will add you to the e-mail notification list.
People who are not OFNC members are welcome to attend, but we encourage them to become members.
Audubon Christmas Bird Count
The Birds Committee organizes the Ottawa contribution to the annual coordinated by Birds Canada.
Started in 1900, the Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is North America’s longest-running Citizen Science project. People in more than 2000 locations throughout the Western Hemisphere participate in the CBC each year. For more information visit Audubon Christmas Bird Count and Bird Canada Christmas Bird Counts
The OFNC has participated continuously since 1920. In recent years the OFNC partnered with the Club des ornithologues de l’Outaouais in this effort. The Ottawa-Gatineau Count usually takes place in mid-December and involves teams of volunteers who spend most of the day outdoors tallying species and numbers of birds within a 7.5 mile (12 km) radius of the Peace Tower. Other volunteers contribute by noting the birds that come to their backyard feeders on the day of the count.
Ottawa-Gatineau Christmas Bird Count 2024
The 106th Ottawa-Gatineau CBC was held December 15, 2024. Temperatures ranged from -14.9 to -6.4 degrees Celsius, skies were most cloudy, with only a few centimetres of snow on the ground; waterways were partly frozen.
171 field observers plus 25 feeder watchers found 77 species and a 42,855 individual birds. The most abundant bird was, again, American Crow. We produced a roost count of 25,000 birds, down several thousand from the previous year, but the effort was hampered by more birds than usual coming into the roost well after dusk.
Highlights included Northern Pintail, 2 Green-winged Teal (ties record high), 5 Greater Scaup, Common Loon, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls, Northern Saw-whet Owl, an amazing 4 Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, an equally amazing 7 Eastern Bluebirds (third record), White-crowned Sparrow, Baltimore Oriole (third record), and Pine Warbler (second record).
There were record highs for Eastern Screech Owl (6), Common Raven (181), and White-throated Sparrow (62). Hooded Merganser (40), Winter Wren (3), and Carolina wren (7) tied record highs. Red-winged Blackbird (3) and Common Grackle put in their first appearances in a while.
Winter finches were near non-existent (10 Pine Siskin and 1 Evening Grosbeak); and numbers were low, too, for Bohemian Waxwing (6). Cedar Waxwing (13), and Purple Finch (18). On the other hand, birds such as Winter Wren, Hermit Thrush (6), Northern Flicker (3), and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, once very rare in the winter, are becoming regular winter birds for us. Dark-eyed Junco (950) and Northern Cardinal (790) were very close to record highs. Winter birding in Ottawa sure has changed!
Red-necked Grebe, Double-crested Cormorant, Snowy Owl, and Red-bellied Woodpecker were observed during the count week but not on the count day itself.
The Ottawa-Gatineau Christmas Bird Count is a joint effort of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club (OFNC) and the Club des ornithologues de l’Outaouais (COO). My thanks to the participants, the sector leaders, and especially my co-compiler, Daniel Toussaint of the C.O.O.
Bernie Ladouceur
For a detailed report of all the species found during this count, please visit CBC 2024
Results of past Ottawa- Gatineau Christmas Bird Counts can be found at Historical results of Christmas Bird Counts.
The 2024 Richmond ONRI Bird Count Results are in.
The total species count this year was 56 , slightly lower than in the previous 4 years (58-60). An additional 8 species were found in the 3 days prior or after count day, so 64 species in count week overall. This was a better than expected result, considering how quiet it was in most places during the count. The full report is available Richmond ONRI CBC Report for 2024
Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas
Peak bird breeding period in Southern Ontario begins on Friday 24 May and continues through to 10 July. If you are out and about, remember that almost every bird you encounter can be added to the Third Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas: a once in a generation province-wide community-science effort to provide data that will help shape conservation efforts for years to come.
Every observation is welcome and valued: whether a bird seen or heard in appropriate habitat (possible breeding) through to a bird – like this Nashville Warbler – carrying nesting material or food (confirmed breeding).
Many observers have now switched their bird reporting from the eBird app to the Nature Counts atlassing app. It is a simple and efficient way to add your sightings to the Atlas project and it can be configured to automatically and seamlessly share your Atlas observations with your eBird account.
For more information on the Atlas, please visit www.birdsontario.org or contact the Ottawa Regional Coordinator at Ottawa@birdsontario.org
#youcanatlasthat
Members of the OFNC were active participants in the past atlassing efforts. For reports on the Ottawa area atlassing see historical Ottawa atlasing reports.
Need more birding information for Ottawa?
See our list of Birding links. Also Larry Neily, an OFNC member, maintains an extensive website on birding in Ottawa and elsewhere at NeilyWorld.