Get out the binoculars
Winter birds of Calgary are calling
BY GUSTAVE J. YAKI AND ANTHONY TIMMONS
PHOTOS PHIL SMITH
WINTER CAN BE the best time of the
year for bird watching in Calgary, and some
of the best places to spot them are along
the Bow River, wooded parks and even in
our own backyards.
Each year about 300 kinds of birds
occur in the Calgary area and around 100
of them are with us during our cold winter
months. By weight, there are actually more
kilograms (or pounds) of birdlife here now
than in the warm summer months. A few of
these wintering birds are lingering tropical
migrants. Most are either permanent
residents or are exotic visitors from remote
northern latitudes, including the high
arctic or the mountains. Some, such as the
Bohemian Waxwing, may even come from
Siberia.
As the sloughs and lakes in northern
Canada and rural Alberta freeze, and
spurred on by hunters, many waterfowl seek
sanctuary within Calgary. Up to 30 species
of ducks, geese, swans and occasionally
loons can then be found along the Bow
River, mainly in the warmer waters south
of the Bonnybrook sewage treatment plant.
In most winters, 20,000 or more waterfowl
spend the night on the Bow in Beaverdam
Flats and Carburn parks. Depending upon
the air temperature and weather conditions,
most leave the sheltered waters by 10 a.m.
to feed in surrounding fields, often not
returning until dusk. While Canada Geese
and Mallards predominate, sightings of
birds such as Snow Geese, Harlequin Ducks
and other uncommon species add zest to a
winter outing.
With such large numbers of waterfowl
present it’s only natural that they attract
predators. Usually up to a dozen or more
majestic-appearing Bald Eagles can then
be seen. They seek out birds that have been
injured by gunshot or are ill, taking them
out of their misery.
After dark, the Great Horned Owl, which
feeds on rodents and small birds the rest of
the year, may also cull some of the weak or
crippled ducks. While they’re quite common,
many people have never seen these large,
Long-eared Owl
34 CALGARY >> WINTER 2008/2009 www.CalgaryOutdoors.ca
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