WILD BIRDS IN ONTARIO

Because of the number of bird species in this section of "Wild Birds in Ontario" we have decided to make finding these birds easier for our readers.

We have therefore, divided them into easier-to-find groups and will be soon adding to the information available.

Birdwatching has been a long-time hobby of mine, and this area of Ontario is rich with bird life - from the fleeting glimpses of Hummingbirds in the Summer, to the arrival of the graceful Tundra Swans each Spring, the birds of this area are well worth watching.

The great thing about observing birds is that it can be enjoyed by young and old alike, it costs very little - binoculars and a Bird Book, and can be enjoyed year-round, and may start a love of Nature that will last a life-time.

So, if you are a parent or grandparent who wants to spend more time with the young people in your family, consider encouraging your family to join you in enjoying the beautiful wild birds in Ontario!

BACKYARD BIRDS will take you to information about the Robin, Blue Jay, Cardinal, Chickadee, Eastern Kingbird, Mourning Dove, Northern Flicker, Nuthatch and the Pileated Woodpecker, Purple Finch, Purple Martin, Ruby Throated Hummingbird, Red Winged Blackbirds, Grackles, Cow-birds, Baltimore Orioles, Carolina Wrens, House Wrens, Yellow Throated Vireo, Eastern Bluebirds. Other more unusual birds are sighted now and again, such as the Wild Peacocks that people tell us are in Southern Ontario.

Backyard Birds - Chickadee, American Goldfinch, American Robin, Nuthatches, Cardinal, Blue Jay



OWLS will take you to information about various Owls of Southern Ontario, including the Short Eared Owl, Long Eared Owl, Snowy Owl, Great Grey Owl, Great Horned Owl and Northern Saw-whet Owl, Screech Owl.

Six Owls of Ontario including the Great Horned Owl, Snowy Owl, Great Grey Owl



RAPTORS AND VULTURES will take you to info about the Red Tailed Hawk, Broad-winged Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Northern Harrier, Bald Eagle, and Turkey Vulture.

Six Birds of Prey in Ontario including the Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture and Red Tail Hawk



WATERFOWL AND SHORE BIRDS will take you to information about the Canada Goose, Wood Duck, Mallard, Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Teal, Bufflehead, Tundra Swan, Blue Heron and the Killdeer.

Ontario Waterfowl Canada Geese, Ducks, Ducklings, Blue Heron



GAME BIRDS including the Canada Goose, Mallard, Woodcock, Snipe and Wild Turkey

Ontario Game Birds such as the wild turkey, pheasant, Canada Goose and wild Mallard

WOODPECKERS including the Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Yellow Bellied Sap Sucker and the Flicker.



ELUSIVE BIRDS these are some birds that I don't often see, including the Grey Catbird, the Eastern Bluebird, the Kingfisher, Kingbird, Shrike and Indigo Bunting.

I just found a wonderful website that gives lots of information about North American Birds and how to attract them to your backyard. You can find out what kind of food to use to attract a particular bird, how to provide the right kind of plants and shrubs and lots of other interesting facts for bird lovers. Be sure to check out "A Home for Wild Birds" website.



During the building of this site I have often needed specific pictures to complete my work and have compiled a list of
on-line resources showing many

Canadian Wildlife Photos


Do you have a favourite bird?

Do you have a great story about your favourite wild Ontario birds? Are there wild birds coming to your yard or garden?

Do you feed the birds in the Winter? Have you seen a rare bird lately?

We invite you to share your stories and pictures with our readers!

What Other Visitors Have Said

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this page...

What is this bird? 
This guy landed on the 7th floor windowsill at the downtown courthouse this past week, for a visit. Can you please tell me what it is? Perhaps …

What are these birds? 
Here I am by Chemong Lake off Frankhill, and see those bird, took pics. They look lost and as if they where belong to someone. Not sure …

What are these birds? 
I am trying to find out the name of the birds that flock together on the side of the road in the winter time. Lots of people call them snow …

Pretty Poser 
I was on my patio one morning and this bird flying past got my attention. There, atop a cement pillar landed the most odd looking feathered friend. …

I've never seen a bird like this 
I live in Guelph and was very fortunate to see this bird. Can you tell me what it is? Hello Angie, I'm not an expert, but to me that looks like …

Wild Bird Video 
It was fun watching this flock flying around. Bird Video Thanks Miro, I love watching birds when they fly like this!

Bird with Gray back, head and white chest 
I live in Goderich Ontario. I have a pine tree just outside my apartment. I am fortunate to have many birds visit in the winter and I feed them. Recently …

Kitchener Birdwatching 
I am an avid bird watcher and am visiting Kitchener, Ontario, for the next 10 days on business. I am from Nova Scotia and would love the opportunity …

Is this a Warbler? If so what kind? 
I got involved in photographing birds a couple of years ago and I'm still stumped with this one even with numerous field guides. My guess is a warbler, …

Unknown Bird in Neighbourhood 
Hi - I was wondering if someone could identify a bird that is in our neighbourhood and is stumping all of us. It has a loud call, i.e. three short …

Blackburnian Warbler 
Photographed in Markham, Ontario. What a lovely picture Alexis, this is beautiful - I didn't even know there was a Blackburnian Warbler! …

Spring-time Warblers in Markham 
These were photographed during April and May in Markham, Ontario. Yellow Rumped Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, American Redstart Warbler and Palm …

Can someone tell me what bird this is? 
I found this bird at the Humber Arboretum in Toronto. Kindly let me know if you can tell me what bird this is. Our readers may know what this …

Show time! 
Air Show over Georgetown, Ontario.

Unknown Bird in London 
An update on this mystery bird, Judd says ..... When I asked for help identifying the birds feeding at my juniper tree I mis-spoke about the white stripe …

Identify this bird 
I was just wandering Scarborough Bluffs in Ontario when I came across this odd looking bird. It was still when I was pulling out my phone to take a …

Pure white round bird 
Sherrie, one of our readers, asks for help to identify a bird she has observed near her home, she asks ..... Hello, I am just seeing if you could help …

Fishing with a buddy 
We were fishing just south of Lake Nippissing. This raptor flew over us and landed on this tree. Is it an immature Bald Eagle or a Golden Eagle? …

Name this Bird 
I recently met up with this bird at my local Humane Society in Niagara Falls. He was later brought out to the wild and set free. He didn't like us …

Need help identifying a bird seen in Parry Sound area 
Angela, one of our readers, sent us this report of her sighting of a mystery bird - My family and I were camping at Killbear Provincial Park this summer …

Name that bird! 
Tawny, one of our readers from Brantford, Ontario, sent us these pictures of birds that she has seen and would like help to identify - I need to know the …

Tweety Bird 
Dave, one of our readers from Peterborough, Ontario, asks about a bird he would like to identify - I came home from work this morning and was siting out …

Does anyone recognize this bird? 
Does anyone know what this bird is? It comes to our bird-feeder. Could it be a Purple House Finch?

Can anyone identify this bird? 
Observed in North Bay, Ontario, this bird is one I would like to identify.

Click here to write your own.

Outside my window 
Calling all Birdwatchers - one of our readers spotted this bird, she says - I just saw this one outside my window really busy with it's beak pecking at …

Can someone help? 
Bonnie, one of our readers from Windsor, Ontario, has a question for the Birdwatchers among our readers - Well, Spring is here, the Robins are back and …

Pure White Bird 
I live in Southwestern Ontario near Woodstock. We had a pure white bird at our bird feeder this morning. It was a little bigger than a finch. I have never …

Accidental Sighting 
I work for the municipality of Bluewater in Ontario, right next to the infamous Gold Coast of Lake Huron. I was plowing the snow off the narrow sideroad …

Can anyone identify this bird? 
This pretty bird has been coming to my back yard and feeder for a couple of days now. I am not sure what it is! Does anyone here know what kind of bird …

What are these - Sandhill Cranes? 
We were biking along Thurstonia Road in Dunsford, Ontario when we saw these two birds feeding in a farmers field. Can you please let us know what they …

Bird Nest Maintenance 
I have a question about three bird's nests in our garden. They where occupied during the summer by the lowly Sparrows, and my question is, do I clean …

Mystery Backyard Bird Not rated yet
On Monday around 4pm, I was pleasantly surprised to see 5 large birds in the backyard, actively feeding around the bird feeder. They looked like peahens …

Beautiful Mystery Bird Not rated yet
This beautiful white bird showed up in my backyard on the feeders 3 days ago. It has been visiting 8 to 10 times a day ever since. I cannot identify …

These two are always here  Not rated yet
These two have been busy - it only took a couple of days to go through that tree. I'm not sure what type of Woodpecker that is, but I think …

Can anyone help identify  Not rated yet
Hi - I recently have put a feeder up and I have seen some interesting birds. I'm having trouble identifying this one. Perhaps one of our readers …

Mother Starling lays four eggs Not rated yet
We placed a camera in a starling's nest. Hope to see the babies soon!

Piping Plover - North Mississauga Not rated yet
Piping Plover can be spotted on the north/west intersection at Hurontario Road and Derry Road in the field made up of mostly gravel. They continue …

Pileated Woodpecker Not rated yet
I found this gorgeous Pileated Woodpecker on Mother's Day just behind my house in the Hungry Hollow Ravine (Georgetown, Ontario, Canada). …

White pigeon with dark grey/black tip on tail Not rated yet
This white pigeon has been spending the last two weeks with us. We live in the country and it has been hanging around with our ducks and poultry. …

Eastern Blue Bird Not rated yet
I was pretty amazed to see this strange bird today. First I just saw the blue colour and thought it was another typical Blue Jay, then I thought it …

Eastern Bluebirds and Indigo Buntings Not rated yet
Owen Sound surrounding area of Balmy Beach specifically Indian Acres Road is where I would see both Eastern Bluebirds and Indigo Buntings. The four …

Never seen this bird before Not rated yet
September 7, 2012. I saw two of these briefly, today, as I walked out the back door. Turns out my mother, who lives across the road, saw them yesterday, …

Bird in a tree Not rated yet
I am wondering if anyone knows what kind of bird this is. I saw it outside of Cambridge, Ontario, sitting atop an evergreen tree last week. I'm …

Red headed bird Not rated yet
We have a bird coming to our Oriole feeder with a reddish head. It looks like a Purple Finch only bigger, almost double in size - loves this feeder …

Various Warblers Not rated yet
All Photographed in May 2012 in Markham Ontario. Thank you so much for your pictures, they are so beautiful, and I know our readers will enjoy them! …

Warblers in Markham Not rated yet
Some Warblers photographed during May 2012 in Markham, Ontario. Thanks again for your delightful pictures of Warblers, they are charming! Thank you …

Migratory Birds Not rated yet
A readers sent us this question - I don't have a story to tell, but I am wondering how all the windmills being put up around Lake Erie,(Kent County especially), …

Strange Noise! Not rated yet
3am - heard a strange high pitched screech "mia mia mia mia mia" followed by a low hollow "kronk kronk kronk kronk". Raven?? Would love to know. …

That huge bird in Bradford Not rated yet
Hey There, I was just looking up on Internet what that huge bird I just saw on the side of the road could be when I saw this post..... I have just moved …

Click here to write your own.

Favourite Birds Not rated yet
The sight any of these beautiful creatures brightens the dullest of days. Marinus Thank you so much for these, and all the other lovely …

Bird in my backyard Not rated yet
I haven't seen this bird at my feeders before. Hi - thanks for the picture - I'm not sure, but this is probably some kind of Sparrow, could it be a …

Feeding the Birds at Lamiones Point Not rated yet
My boyfriend and I were out for a walk with our dog, Teegan, at the Conservation Area here in Kingston, Ontario. We had taken bird feed with us so, …

Click here to write your own.


If you are interested in other Wild birds in Ontario, check out the following sites for more information.

Wild Birds North Site - feeders for Wild Birds in Ontario
Bird feeders, Bird houses and Back yard decor

Ontario Field Ornithologists
You'll find lots of information for those interested in wild birds in Ontario

Long Point Bird Observatory
Information on the work of the Birders at Long Point including figures on wild birds (les oiseaux sauvages)spotted in that area

Bird Studies Canada - les oiseaux sauvages
Lots of Links to information on Wild Birds in Ontario and to Worldwide Birding

Turkey Vultures
These essential birds are common in Southern Ontario during the summer, and can be seen circling overhead as they search for food or glide higher on the thermals

St Thomas Field Naturalists
Up to date information about their Wednesday Evening Spring Walks in the area

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