What Makes Saskatchewan a Great Place for Birdwatching? 

A lot of people go to tropical places to birdwatch, but did you know that Saskatchewan is an amazing place to see birds in North America?

We host large tracts of pastureland, where you can see and hear rare grassland birds.

Our lakes, rivers and wetlands provide important nesting habitat for geese and ducks and crucial migration stopover sites for birds like the endangered Whooping Crane.

Saskatchewan’s large alkaline lakes, like Chaplin and Reed Lake, support many different types of breeding and migrating shorebirds.

Lastly, our vast boreal forest is home to small colourful wood warblers, musical thrushes, and elusive owls.

There are even some hardy birds that call Saskatchewan home in the winter. Southern Saskatchewan, especially the area around Regina, supports one of the consistently largest concentrations of Snowy Owls in North America in the winter.

The Saskatchewan Conservation Data Centre has catalogued 354 different bird species that regularly call Saskatchewan home. Birdwatchers have observed another 53 species of birds that are much rarer and may have only been observed once or twice in the province.

Birdwatching 101

So, how do you start birdwatching?

The best way to start is to get a book or download an app, such as Merlin Bird ID, on bird identification. My suggestion is to briefly go through these guides to get an idea what birds might be in your specific area but then keep that resource close by whenever you are out birdwatching.

Next, investing in a pair of binoculars is not necessary, but they sure make birdwatching a lot easier! You don’t need the most expensive pair of binoculars, but I usually recommend binoculars between 8-10x magnification.

Next, get outside or look through your home windows – birds can be found anywhere!

Use your binoculars and try to note the size of the bird, its shape, any striking colouration, and what the bird was doing when you saw it. You can capture all of these clues and then go back to your bird book or app to try and identify the bird you saw.

Once you get good at identifying birds by sight, the next step is to learn the sounds they make. Learning their sounds can be just as helpful, especially when birds are hiding way up high in a tree or way down low in some tall grass.

Apps like Merlin Bird ID are a great resource for helping to identify singing birds – you can record the sounds around you and the app will try to identify what birds are singing. Please remember, the app is not 100 per cent correct all the time, so do your best to learn the calls and verify what Merlin is telling you!

Regina is a Birdwatching Mecca

Many people don’t realize that Regina offers great birdwatching opportunities and is designated a Bird-Friendly City by Nature Canada.

Whether it is Wascana Park, AE Wilson Park or the Condie Nature Refuge, the city offers a diverse range of habitats, parks and neighbourhoods that many bird species call home.

Lastly, if you are just itching to hear birds, check out the Animal Sounds Interactive Display at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum where you can listen to the morning chorus of birds from throughout our province and test your skills to identify bird songs!

Be sure to check out the new Owls of Saskatchewan exhibit and learn your owl identification by sight and sound.

Citizen Science

Did you know that Saskatchewan is also home to a vibrant community of scientists that study birds and their habitat?

There is still much we don't know about birds, and these scientists provide decision-makers with vital information to help conserve species that are struggling. But you can also participate in bird science as a birdwatcher.

Apps like Merlin Bird ID, eBird and iNaturalist (all free!) allow you to upload your bird observations, wherever you are, that can then be used by scientists to help manage and conserve birds.

These apps have very specific protocols and rules to follow but are a great way for you to use your hobby to contribute to the well-being of our feathered friends.

For the Birds

Birdwatching is a great and stress-relieving way of exploring our beautiful province. So have fun out there at any time of year and see how many different Saskatchewan birds you can see!

Dr. Ryan Fisher is the Curator of Vertebrate Zoology at Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Regina. Most of his research has focused on using field studies on birds to answer applied questions related to wildlife management in the prairie provinces. His past research has focused on several iconic species in prairie Canada, including Burrowing Owls, Ferruginous Hawks, Sprague’s Pipit and Sharp-tailed Grouse.

He is also an avid birdwatcher!