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Records 2019–2024 · GBIF

Birds in Northwest Territories

Our list for Northwest Territories has 140 bird species recorded regularly there: 9 residents, 86 summer visitors, 7 winter visitors, 35 passage migrants and 3 scarce visitors

The list comes from 125,000 birdwatchers' records from 2019–2024, shared through the eBird Observation Dataset on GBIF. A bird is listed when it was recorded in at least 3 of the 6 years and has a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur here than are listed; the months show when it is recorded most years.

Species on our list
140
In October
36
Common
75
Busiest month
May

What's special about Northwest Territories

vs Canada

The birds recorded far more often here than across Canada, as a share of all bird records. These are the ones Northwest Territories is worth visiting for.

  1. Long-tailed JaegerLong-tailed Jaeger69×Passage migrant · 0.26% of records here, 0.00% across Canada
  2. Arctic TernArctic Tern55×Summer visitor · 0.98% of records here, 0.02% across Canada
  3. Pacific LoonPacific Loon17×Summer visitor · 0.88% of records here, 0.05% across Canada
  4. Lincoln's SparrowLincoln's Sparrow11×Summer visitor · 2.5% of records here, 0.22% across Canada
  5. Glaucous GullGlaucous Gull11×Summer visitor · 0.63% of records here, 0.06% across Canada
  6. Lapland LongspurLapland Longspur11×Summer visitor · 0.45% of records here, 0.04% across Canada
  7. Tundra SwanTundra Swan9.6×Summer visitor · 0.88% of records here, 0.09% across Canada
  8. Greater White-fronted GooseGreater White-fronted Goose8.6×Summer visitor · 0.46% of records here, 0.05% across Canada

This month: October

GBIF · Oct

Most likely

  1. Common RavenCommon Raven13.57%
  2. Bald EagleBald Eagle5.39%
  3. Common RedpollCommon Redpoll5.14%
  4. Ring-billed GullRing-billed Gull3.83%
  5. Snow BuntingSnow Bunting3.74%
  6. MallardMallard3.55%

Arriving now

  1. Snow BuntingSnow BuntingPassage migrantSep 0.12% → Oct 3.74%
  2. Bohemian WaxwingBohemian WaxwingWinter visitorSep 0.10% → Oct 0.59%
  3. American Three-toed WoodpeckerAmerican Three-toed WoodpeckerResidentSep 0.06% → Oct 0.34%
  4. Golden EagleGolden EaglePassage migrantSep 0.07% → Oct 0.16%

Share of all bird records in Northwest Territories in October, 2019–2024. “Arriving now” are the birds whose share rises most from last month. Each month links to that month’s page.

Near you this week

The birds most likely around your town or postcode right now, from the same records, for a square about 9 km across.

The bird calendar for Northwest Territories

Month by month

When each bird is around, through the year. The darker the square, the closer that month is to the bird’s busiest. Filter by summer or winter visitors to see the seasons turn over.

The year in Northwest Territories

Records by month
Bird records in Northwest Territories by month, 2019–2024
January1,052
February855
March1,277
April4,223
May36,228
June35,409
July23,754
August9,488
September7,238
October3,212
November956
December842

May has the most records (36,000). Records follow birdwatchers as well as birds: a busy month means more people out looking, as well as more birds passing through.

By family

12 of 23
All 23 families in Northwest Territories

How common

More of Canada

All of Canada

All 140 birds, A to Z

Show all 140 birds

Questions

4

What birds is Northwest Territories known for?

Compared with the rest of Canada, Northwest Territories stands out for Long-tailed Jaeger, Arctic Tern, Pacific Loon and Lincoln's Sparrow. Each is recorded at least 11.4 times as often here as across Canada, as a share of all bird records (2019–2024).

How many birds are on Birdfact's list for Northwest Territories?

140 species, each recorded regularly in Northwest Territories (in at least 3 of the 6 years 2019–2024): 9 residents, 86 summer visitors, 7 winter visitors, 35 passage migrants and 3 scarce visitors. The list includes only birds with a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur in Northwest Territories, and rarer vagrants are not listed.

What birds can I see in Northwest Territories in October?

36 species on our list for Northwest Territories are recorded regularly in October. Of these, the most often recorded are Common Raven, Bald Eagle, Common Redpoll, Ring-billed Gull and Snow Bunting.

What are the most common birds in Northwest Territories?

Of the birds on our list, the ones birdwatchers record most often in Northwest Territories are Common Raven, Common Redpoll, Bald Eagle, Snow Bunting and American Crow.

Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made

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