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Records 2019–2024 · GBIF

Birds in Ontario

Our list for Ontario has 220 bird species recorded regularly there: 31 residents, 82 summer visitors, 57 winter visitors, 47 passage migrants and 3 scarce visitors

The list comes from 40 million 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
220
In October
162
Common
81
Busiest month
May

What's special about Ontario

vs Canada

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

  1. Mute SwanMute Swan2.4×Resident · 0.71% of records here, 0.30% across Canada
  2. Prothonotary WarblerProthonotary Warbler2.4×Summer visitor · 0.04% of records here, 0.02% across Canada
  3. Red-bellied WoodpeckerRed-bellied Woodpecker2.3×Resident · 1.1% of records here, 0.48% across Canada
  4. Red-headed WoodpeckerRed-headed Woodpecker2.1×Summer visitor · 0.09% of records here, 0.04% across Canada
  5. Scarlet TanagerScarlet Tanager1.9×Summer visitor · 0.25% of records here, 0.13% across Canada
  6. Great Crested FlycatcherGreat Crested Flycatcher1.7×Summer visitor · 0.59% of records here, 0.34% across Canada
  7. Baltimore OrioleBaltimore Oriole1.7×Summer visitor · 0.94% of records here, 0.55% across Canada
  8. Eastern Screech-owlEastern Screech-owl1.7×Winter visitor · 0.08% of records here, 0.05% across Canada

This month: October

GBIF · Oct

Most likely

  1. Blue JayBlue Jay4.31%
  2. American CrowAmerican Crow3.37%
  3. Canada GooseCanada Goose3.19%
  4. American RobinAmerican Robin3.08%
  5. Ring-billed GullRing-billed Gull3.01%
  6. MallardMallard2.66%

Arriving now

  1. American Tree SparrowAmerican Tree SparrowWinter visitorSep 0.00% → Oct 0.41%
  2. GoldeneyeGoldeneyeWinter visitorSep 0.08% → Oct 0.29%
  3. Fox SparrowFox SparrowWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.25%
  4. Long-tailed DuckLong-tailed DuckWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.16%
  5. Surf ScoterSurf ScoterWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.16%
  6. Evening GrosbeakEvening GrosbeakWinter visitorSep 0.01% → Oct 0.15%

Share of all bird records in Ontario 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 Ontario

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 Ontario

Records by month
Bird records in Ontario by month, 2019–2024
January1,752,388
February1,594,835
March2,635,321
April5,016,864
May10,432,658
June3,958,792
July2,656,607
August2,669,091
September3,045,295
October2,742,764
November1,775,132
December1,665,895

May has the most records (10 million). 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 28
All 28 families in Ontario

How common

More of Canada

All of Canada

All 220 birds, A to Z

Show all 220 birds

Questions

4

What birds is Ontario known for?

Compared with the rest of Canada, Ontario stands out for Mute Swan, Prothonotary Warbler, Red-bellied Woodpecker and Red-headed Woodpecker. Each is recorded at least 2 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 Ontario?

220 species, each recorded regularly in Ontario (in at least 3 of the 6 years 2019–2024): 31 residents, 82 summer visitors, 57 winter visitors, 47 passage migrants and 3 scarce visitors. The list includes only birds with a Birdfact species guide, so more species occur in Ontario, and rarer vagrants are not listed.

What birds can I see in Ontario in October?

162 species on our list for Ontario are recorded regularly in October. Of these, the most often recorded are Blue Jay, American Crow, Canada Goose, American Robin and Ring-billed Gull.

What are the most common birds in Ontario?

Of the birds on our list, the ones birdwatchers record most often in Ontario are American Crow, Northern Cardinal, Canada Goose, American Robin and Blue Jay.

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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