Uncommon Birds in Canada
Our list for Canada has 118 uncommon birds recorded regularly there: 23 residents, 61 summer visitors, 30 winter visitors and 4 passage migrants
Most likely in October
GBIF · Oct
Share of all bird records in Canada in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 118, most common first
Common TernSterna hirundoSummer visitorUncommon31–35 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly Apr–Jan
Blue-headed VireoVireo solitariusSummer visitorUncommon12–15 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Varied ThrushIxoreus naeviusWinter visitorUncommon20–26 cmRegularly Sep–Jul
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaSummer visitorUncommon19–23 cmRegularly May–Sep
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusWinter visitorUncommon31–38 cmRecorded all year
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataWinter visitorUncommon48–60 cmRecorded all year
Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax trailliiSummer visitorUncommon13–17 cmRegularly May–Sep
BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorusSummer visitorUncommon16–20 cmRegularly May–Sep
Bay-breasted WarblerSetophaga castaneaSummer visitorUncommon14–14 cmRegularly May–Sep
Black-throated Blue WarblerSetophaga caerulescensSummer visitorUncommon11–13 cmRegularly May–Oct
Blackpoll WarblerSetophaga striataSummer visitorUncommon13–15 cmRegularly May–Oct
Purple MartinProgne subisSummer visitorUncommon18–20 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrinaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly May–Sep
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaResidentUncommon40–50 cmRecorded all year
Grey PloverPluvialis squatarolaSummer visitorUncommon27–30 cmRecorded all year
EiderSomateria mollissimaResidentUncommon50–71 cmRecorded all year
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustrisSummer visitorUncommon10–14 cmRecorded all year
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorUncommon46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celataSummer visitorUncommon11–14 cmRegularly Apr–Dec
SanderlingCalidris albaPassage migrantUncommon18–20 cmRegularly May–Jan
Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensisSummer visitorUncommon80–122 cmRecorded all year
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorUncommon12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
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