Birdwatching in Calgary parks is one of the easiest ways to connect with nature in the city. One moment, you’re enjoying a quiet stroll, and the next, you’re watching a woodpecker drum against a tree or a duckling paddle alongside its mother.
Whether you’re an early riser who loves the peaceful tune of morning birdsong or someone who enjoys spotting a hawk soaring high above, birdwatching offers a chance to slow down, be present, and appreciate the wild side of Calgary.
To help you identify more birds the next time you’re out for a stroll, we’ve teamed up with the Alberta Wilderness Association (AWA), a passionate organization dedicated to protecting Alberta’s natural spaces and wildlife.
With their expertise, we’re sharing 12 common birds you might see while out birdwatching in Calgary parks, so you can grab your binoculars, step outside, and get ready to meet your feathery neighbors (from a distance, of course).
Before You Head Out Birdwatching
- With any wildlife watching, be respectful of these animals, their space, and their homes.
- Find ethical birdwatching tips and 13 spots to begin birdwatching in Calgary here.
- All About Birds is a great bird identification resource, plus an app called Merlin, which includes bird calls.
Mallard & Common Goldeneye
Sourced from Wikimedia Commons. Learn more about the mallard & common goldeneye here.
If you’re new to birdwatching, one of the easiest ways to get started is to park yourself along the shore. Most water birds don’t move around much, and without branches or leaves for the birds to hide behind, this is a good place to start using your binoculars.
Plus, the males of most duck species are fairly easy to differentiate. Calgary’s most common duck is the mallard, with their glistening emerald heads. They’re common residents of Calgary ponds and rivers, and you’ll often see them with their tails in the air “dabbling,” which is how they feed.
Another typical Calgary duck is the common goldeneye. The colourful male is easily identified by his bright purple head (sometimes appears black) and a white spot below the eye. Unlike the dabbling mallards, these ducks dive for their dinner!
American Robin
Sourced from Wikimedia Commons. Learn more about the American robin here.
A heralder of approaching spring and common throughout the summer is the American robin. With its bright orange breast and striking black cap, these birds are unmistakable. They’re some of the first migrants to return after winter, you’ll often see them sitting, feathers fluffed up, enduring one of our notorious spring snowstorms. Their early morning song is also a sure sign that spring is on its way!
Franklin’s Gull
Sourced from Wikimedia Commons. Learn more about the Franklin’s gull here.
Despite being generically known as “seagulls”, Alberta boasts several gull species, which return in large numbers to the Bow River every spring, making a glorious racket as things begin to thaw. The easiest gull to identify is the Franklin’s gull, distinguished by its black head.
Red-Winged Blackbird
Sourced from Wikimedia Commons. Learn more about the red-winged blackbird here.
Later to return each spring, but also with a distinctive call, is the red-winged blackbird. These striking birds are often found perched on cattails or in trees, calling loudly and sporting bright red shoulder patches in the spring breeding season. However, the females are streaky shades of brown, which camouflage them nicely in the marsh reeds as they raise their young.
Black-Capped Chickadee
Sourced from Wikimedia Commons. Learn more about the black-capped chickadee here.
Some birds call Calgary home year-round, and some former migrants are even beginning to stick around for the entire winter.
One of Calgary’s year-round residents, and our city’s official bird, is the black-capped chickadee. Even when winter’s still hanging on, you can hear them begin their mating calls — a high-pitched DEE-dee-dee. Studies show that chickadees have an incredibly diverse and complex language. One study even discovered a link between the number of “dees” in their classic “chick-a-dee-dee-dee” alarm call with the size and danger the potential predator poses.
Northern Flicker
Sourced from Wikimedia Commons. Learn more about the northern flicker here.
Another bird whose mating call you might recognize is the handsome northern flicker. You know that bird annoyingly drumming on your chimney vent? Yup, that’s a flicker, a member of the woodpecker family, letting everyone know whose territory it is. You’ll notice them as a streak of orange zipping by — the bright colour you see is the underside of their wings.
Downy Woodpecker & Pileated Woodpecker
Sourced from Wikimedia Commons. Learn more about the downy & pileated woodpecker here.
Other members of the woodpecker family often seen in Calgary are the diminutive downy woodpecker, and the rarer pileated woodpecker — a large black woodpecker with a bright red crest and white wing patches. You can also tell the pileated’s favourite lunch spots by the distinctive large, square holes they create by drilling through bark, looking for grubs and insects.
Most woodpeckers are “cavity nesters,” which means they raise their young in holes in trees. Late spring and into summer, you might see a head pop out if you stand quietly and watch the trees!
American White Pelican
Sourced from Wikimedia Commons. Learn more about the American white pelican here.
The American white pelican has the largest wingspan of any bird in Alberta. And a flock of these enormous black and white birds is a sight to behold!
You’d be lucky to see them on the water (the best places are on islands along the Bow in the south end of Fish Creek Park), but you may see a group of these enormous birds wheeling overhead.
Osprey & Red-Tailed Hawk
Sourced from Wikimedia Commons. Learn more about the osprey & red-tailed hawk here.
Finally, here are two birds of prey you can look out for in the city. The osprey, a fish-eating bird that often nests on platforms (like the one off the bike path near the zoo), or even light posts. A pair nested on a sign at Deerfoot Trail and Anderson Road for many years until construction crews eventually had to move their nest to a custom-built platform nearby.
You may also spot a red-tailed hawk wheeling overhead. With many different plumage variations, you can always identify them by their signature rusty tail or iconic call. And believe it or not, you already know this call! Many movies use the call of a red-tailed hawk instead of an eagle. It’s much more screechy and not as evocative as wild, open spaces.
You can spot these birds (and tons more) throughout the entire city. Some popular spots for birdwatching in Calgary: Inglewood Bird Sanctuary & Bowmont, Fish Creek, Carburn, and Pearce Estate Park.
While our many parks and greenspaces are havens for our feathered friends, cities are often a death-trap for birds, especially during migration. Travelling thousands of kilometers, birds can become disoriented by lights, wasting precious energy, or are killed when they strike windows. Find out what you can do to help prevent window strikes at home.
For all of Alberta’s bird species, intact habitat is crucial to their continued survival. Alberta Wilderness Association is working to protect more of our wild spaces outside the cities as havens for these and many other species. Celebrating their 60th anniversary in 2025, it’s likely that some of your favourite hikes are in areas the AWA has been instrumental in gaining protection for.
Want to learn more about Alberta’s wild animals, species, and spaces? Join Alberta Wilderness Association’s Adventures for Wilderness, including birdwatching, hiking, and animal conservation talks. All of their Adventures are by donation and a great way to learn more about nature in and around YYC.
3 Responses
I think I’ve seen all of these in Calgary city limits besides the gull (though I mighty have seen this one, too, I just haven’t paid as much attention to gulls!). Great article, thanks!
Thanks!! I love birdwatching and your info is just what I needed.