Banff Bird Checklist

Masters of camouflage — pure white in winter, mottled brown in summer. Look on rocky alpine slopes above 2,200m. Parker Ridge and Sentinel Pass are good spots.

Pink-washed finches that feed at the edges of snowfields and glaciers. Often in flocks. Look near alpine lakes and high passes in summer.

Small songbird with distinctive black "horns." Found in open alpine meadows. Listen for their tinkling song high above treeline.

Massive raptor soaring above mountain ridges. Wingspan up to 2.3m. More common than many think, but usually seen from great distance.

Small, streaky brown bird that bobs its tail constantly. Very common above treeline in summer. Walks on the ground rather than hopping.

Gray with black wings and white tail patches. Bold and noisy — often at viewpoints and picnic areas. Important whitebark pine seed disperser.

Fluffy gray bird with a white forehead. Extremely bold — will land on your hand for food (don't feed them!). Canada's national bird. Found on most forest trails.

Tiny and energetic with a distinctive white eyebrow stripe. Calls a buzzy "chick-a-dee-dee." Common on most trails.

Crow-sized woodpecker with a flaming red crest. Listen for its loud drumming and "laughing" call. Leaves distinctive rectangular excavations in trees.

Striking deep blue with a black crest. Loud and conspicuous around campgrounds and picnic areas. Expert mimic of other birds and hawk calls.

Quiet, bark-flaking woodpecker with yellow crown patch (male). Prefers burned or beetle-killed forest. Methodical feeder — strips bark rather than drilling.

Brick-red males, olive-yellow females. Unique crossed bill for extracting conifer seeds. Nomadic — present depends on cone crop. Listen for "kip-kip" flight calls.

North America's tallest owl with massive facial disc. Hunts at dawn and dusk at forest-meadow edges. Very rare sighting — consider yourself extremely lucky.

Round, slate-gray bird that bobs constantly on stream rocks and walks underwater to catch insects. North America's only aquatic songbird. Johnston Canyon is a reliable spot.

Tall, elegant wading bird. Stands motionless in shallow water waiting for fish. Vermilion Lakes is the most reliable spot in Banff.

Fish-eating raptor with distinctive black eye stripe. Nests on tall poles and dead trees near water. Look for them diving into lakes feet-first.

Iconic white-headed raptor. Adults unmistakable; juveniles are mottled brown. Best seen at Vermilion Lakes, Bow River, and Lake Minnewanka. Peak viewing during spring and fall migration.

Black and white checkerboard plumage with haunting call. Found on quieter mountain lakes. Listen at dawn and dusk. Two Medicine Lake and Bow Lake are good spots.

Stunning blue-gray duck with bold white and chestnut markings. Feeds in whitewater rivers. A specialty bird that birders travel far to see.

Blue-gray with a shaggy crest and loud rattling call. Hovers above water before diving for fish. Look along the Bow River.

Small shorebird that bobs its tail constantly and teeters along the water's edge. Brown above with spotted breast in summer. Common at any lake shore.

Striking black and white with iridescent blue-green tail. Loud, social, and intelligent. Ubiquitous around town, parking lots, and anywhere food scraps exist.

Large, all-black with a wedge-shaped tail and deep "kronk" call. Incredibly intelligent. Seen everywhere from town to mountain summits. Performs acrobatic flights.

Familiar orange-breasted bird hopping on lawns. One of the first signs of spring in Banff. Listen for their cheerful "cheerily-cheerup" song at dawn.

Small gray bird with white outer tail feathers that flash in flight. Common on the ground under feeders and at picnic areas. "Snowbird" that stays through winter.

Tiny, streaky finch with yellow wing flashes. Forms large, noisy flocks. Common at campgrounds and anywhere with spruce trees. Buzzy "zreeee" call.