Three different bald eagle pictures showing one of our most powerful birds of prey.
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Come along as we find the best British Columbia Birds in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island.

As world travelers and bird lovers, Bill and I never visit a new place without keeping our cameras and binoculars handy. On our recent trip to Vancouver and Vancouver Island, we were surprised by the variety of British Columbia birds we encountered — from tiny hummingbirds to soaring bald eagles.

While many of the birds in Vancouver are the same ones we see in Minnesota, soon new species began to reveal themselves, and I added 21 new birds to my Life List! Exploring city parks, coastal trails, and forested hikes gave us incredible opportunities to spot the birds of BC in their natural habitats.

I’ll share some of the most beautiful and fascinating birds we saw in British Columbia, along with the best spots for birding in Vancouver and beyond. You can use the Table of Contents to zero in, or just come along with us on a birding adventure!

All photos on this post were taken by Kari and cannot be shared or captured without permission. See our Privacy Policy for complete details.

A Bald Eagle soars through the sky with it's wings outspread wide. His white tail and head stand out against the blue sky.
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Water and Shore Birds of British Columbia

We found the largest number of British Columbia birds along the coastal areas, the rivers, the estuaries, the lagoons and the lakes. Here is a sampling:

Ducks, Geese, and Other Waterfowl

Common Merganser

I watched these female Mergansers for a long time at the Tyee Spit in Campbell River, BC. They were in constant motion, fishing and swimming. When one caught a fish, the others tried to take it from her, chasing her across the water.

The Mergansers have this remarkable skimming technique where it looks like they are running across the surface of the water, creating a significant wake behind them. I included a video in the very last picture.

The common mergansers show off by strutting their bodies out of the water as the propel forward.
A gray duck with a rusty brown head, the Common Merganser swims through the coastal waters near Campbell River, BC.
A female common merganser catches a dark colored fish in her mouth.
Another merganser chases the first one who still has the fish in her mouth. The two of them are creating a lot of waves as they swim around near Tyee Spit on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Now the Merganser has a firmer grip on the fish, folding it in half so it's firmly in her mouth.
A pair of common mergansers swim together in the Discovery Strait near Campbell River, BC.

This video shows how the Mergansers skim across the water quickly, almost like they are walking on top of the water.
Click to Watch Video of Mergansers running across the water

Wood Duck

I’m always happy to find the colorful Wood Ducks. These beauties were swimming at The Spit in Burnaby Lake Regional Park, just outside of Vancouver. The sunshine made their iridescent colors glow so brilliantly. Watch this carousel of images as we marvel at these beautiful creatures.

  • A male wood duck sits in the water with his distinct red eye, his white markings on his neck and his glowing green head. You can also see the brilliant blue and green feathers amongst the brown on his body.
  • Two brown and grey ducks (with hints of blue) swim amongst the lily pads.
  • A solo duck with a white eye ring and gorgeous iridescent colors on his back swims in the blue water.
  • Two male wood ducks with red eyes and orange / white beaks swim side-by-side.
  • A lone male Wood Duck shows off his colorful plumage as he swims through the lily pads.
  • Two smaller female ducks swim through the water together.
  • This male Wood duck shows off beautiful blue and green iridescent feathers on this back, as well as the distinctive white markings on his neck. He also has a drop of water hanging off the tip of his bill.

    • Harlequin Duck

    We spotted these female Harlequin Ducks at Witty’s Lagoon on Vancouver Island, diving and swimming right near the rocks, then later in the open water at Tyee Spit in Campbell River, BC.

    They are easily recognizable by the distinctive white spots on their heads. In British Columbia, they are most often seen along rocky coastlines. It was a new Life Bird for me — Next time, I hope to see the colorful breeding male too!

    A dull brown duck with a large white spot behind it's face swims near the rocks in Witty's Lagoon on Vancouver Island, BC
    One Harlequin Duck swims while the other dives under the water to catch a fish.
    Two Harlequin ducks swim together, showing off their dark heads with double white spots, at Witty's Lagoon Regional Park in Metchosin, BC.

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    Mallard Duck

    The common Mallard Duck is found all over the world and pretty much everywhere we went in British Columbia. These ones were so pretty that I couldn’t help taking a few more photos to add to the hundreds that I already have!

    A blue and gray Mallard swims in the greenish water at Burnaby Lake Regional Park near Vancouver, BC.
    The female Mallard is a brown and beige striped duck with a wide bill swims amongst the lily pads.

    Canadian Goose

    You can’t go to Canada without photographing the Canadian Goose, right? This classic bird is found around the world, even in places like New Zealand and Germany!

    A pair of Canadian Geese crane their necks to get a better view while standing on the rocky Lakeshore at Deer Park in Burnaby, BC.
    A large Canadian Goose stands in the Grass, showing her ruffled feathers of buff on her checks, black and her neck and head and her white beard area - all ruffled and windswept.
    A large Canadian Goose glides silently through the lily pads at Deer Lake Park near Vancouver, BC.

    Shorebirds and Gulls of Vancouver and Vancouver Island

    Water is found everywhere in Southwestern British Columbia, and with it, come the birds who habitat near water.

    Especially on Vancouver Island, you are never more than a few miles from a coastline, an estuary, a lagoon, a beach or some other waterway. Here are some of the fun Shore Birds of BC that we were able to photograph:

    Belted Kingfisher

    Every single kingfisher I have seen around the world (Costa Rica, Thailand, Tanzania, New Zealand, Banff, Florida, and more) has been perched on a branch along the water, looking for it’s next meal. These were found at Pitt Lake outside of Vancouver, but we also saw them near the Sitting Lady Waterfall on Vancouver Island, BC.

    The Blue and white kingfisher poses on the end of a tree branch with is crested head, looking for a next fish.
    A belted Kingfisher looks out from a perch by Pitt Lake, BC, searching for his next meal.
    This kingfisher has caught a fish which he holds in his bill.
    And now he works on devouring the fish he worked so hard to catch! At Pitt Lake Recreation Area in Fraser Valley, BC.

    Double-crested Cormorant

    Found in many areas of British Columbia, we captured these particular double-crested Cormorants at Stanley Park in Vancouver. The one on the rock was NOT about to give up his superior position!

    A dark, sleek Cormorant swims in the water with it's orange eye patch and it's curved yellow beak.
    One Cormorant stands on top of a rock in the water near Stanley Park in Vancouver with his head features all ruffled up. Another Cormorant swims nearby, but the King of the Rock won't budge!

    Pelagic Cormorant

    This was a new one to us, the Pelagic Cormorant. We found him out on Bird Island when we went on a Whale Watching trip near Campbell River, BC. Note his dark purple head feathers and his white rump on the underside.

    A large slender bird with a dark purple neck stands on top of a big rock on Bird Island, while two other Pelagic Cormorants are preening nearby.
    A slim black bird swims in the gray water with his red eye mark and long slender curved beak, near Campbell River, BC.

    Great Blue Heron

    A common bird over many parts of the world, it was no surprise to find the Great Blue Heron along the waterways of British Columbia. We found these two at Pitt Lake outside of Vancouver and at Witty’s Lagoon on Vancouver Island.

    A large Great Blue Heron scrunches his neck to his body to protect him from the strong winds as he perches high on a dead wooden branch at Pitt Meadows in Fraser Valley, BC.
    This tall Great blue Heron searches for fish in the water in Witty's Lagoon on Vancouver Island. A strong current and wind are trying to knock him over.

    Black Oystercatcher

    This one surprised me! I have seen Oystercatchers in places like New Zealand and Portugal, but never in North America before. They are distinguishable by their long neon red beaks. We saw them at the Esquimalt Lagoon in Colwood (outside of Victoria) and on Bird Island near Campbell River on Vancouver Island.

    a Dark Gray / Black bird with a BRIGHT red long pointy bill stands on the rocky island know as Bird Island.
    A group of dark Black Oystercatchers with red pointy bills fly over the blue water of the Salish Sea near Colwood, BC.

    Baird’s Sandpiper

    We found this migratory bird at several beaches and mud-flats. They breed in the Arctic and winter in South America. I love their orange and brown patterns on the back which contrasts greatly with the almost pure white underside.

    A brown and gray streaked shorebird called the Baird's Sandpiper walks along the sand with his very long pointy bill.
    I love the orange and brown tones on the backside of this Baird's sandpiper bird as it picks through the seaweed on the beach to find food.

    Whenever you’re near water, of course you will find the Gulls! And British Columbia was no exception! Gulls are excellent fishermen and it was fun to watch them catch, carry and then eat their prey.

    Glaucous-winged Gull

    We were excited to find the Glaucous-winged Gull from the lookout at Stanley Park near Prospect Point and at Witty’s Lagoon near Metchosin on Vancouver Island.

    What stood out immediately were its darker gray wings — a subtle but distinctive difference from the lighter gulls I usually see back home in Minnesota and Florida. This feature helps separate it from the more common Herring Gull.

    A new bird for me, I loved watching how it dove for food, then carried it to the shoreline to eat. It was a reminder that even familiar-looking birds can have regional differences worth noticing.

    A gull with darker gray wings catches a crab in the water at Witty's Lagoon near Metchosin, BC
    Catch
    The Glaucous Gull starts to fly across the water with a crab in his mouth.
    Carry
    The Glaucous-winged Gull eats his catch on the sand near the waters edge.
    Feast
    A gull picks at the rest of his crab meal as the tide of water threatens to wash it away. At Witty's Lagoon on Vancouver Island, BC.
    Feast

    California Gull

    Sometimes I like the immature Gulls more than the full-grown ones. Their varied coloring is much more interesting as they develop through their four year plumage cycle.

    A gray and brown streaked bird swims in Salish Sea near Sooke, BC.
    A gull's wings are fully extended as he dives his body under the water to catch a fish
    A gull extends his wings as he prepares to take off from the water at Whiffen Spit on Vancouver Island.
    A brown gull stands on one leg on a rock in the middle of the water while he grooms himself with his other leg - now that is BALANCE!

    Raptors and Birds of Prey in BC

    Osprey

    At Pitt Lake about an hour east of Vancouver, there is a large Osprey nest out in the water. Fun to watch the four adult and juvenile Osprey coming and going as they hunt for fish.

    A younger Osprey flaps it's wings as it lands back in the nest.
    The Osprey nest at the top of a tall wooden channel marker in Pitt Lake in Fraser Valley, BC.
    A large black and white Osprey perches on the nest at Pitt Lake Recreation Area, BC.

    Bald Eagles

    We have Bald Eagles back home, but they are often hard to find. Here in British Columbia, they much more common. We found one high in the trees at Deer Lake Park in East Vancouver and one circling over head at Butchart Gardens.

    But up by Campbell River on Vancouver Island, they were a daily sighting. So much fun to spot and photograph them. And I’m always awed by how sharp their yellow beaks are. Yikes!

    A large eagle poses on the very top of a tall pine tree, looking for prey in the forest below at the Quinsam Fish Hatchery near Campbell River, BC
    A bald eagle soaks up the sunshine as it sits out in the open, surveying the area around it.
    A Bald Eagle soars through the sky with it's wings outspread wide. His white tail and head stand out against the blue sky.
    A large Eagle sits on a dead branch, looking out over Deer Lake in Burnaby BC, in search of a fish to catch.
    A Bald Eagle sits on a branch in the Discovery Passage near Quadra Island, BC.
    A Bald Eagle hides in the branches of a pine tree, with just his white head sticking out. Behind the Driftwood by the Seas RV Park in Campbell River, BC.

    Turkey Vultures

    I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Vultures. When you see them on the ground, they are quite, shall we say, “unattractive”? But when they are soaring in the sky, they are graceful and elegant and oh-so-beautiful!

    We saw them all over British Columbia. But it was extra fun to observe a large group of them on the islands just off-shore from Witty’s Lagoon in Metchosin – rising and falling and soaring, almost like they were doing an intricate dance. It was a sight to behold!

    A group of 3 Vultures fly close together in kind of a dance pattern over the rocks near Tower Point on Vancouver Island.
    A lone vulture flies with his wings spread wide over the rocks in the Salish Sea.

    Common British Columbia Birds You Might Spot

    Songbirds of BC

    White-Crowned Sparrow

    This was a new Life Bird for me and it is one of the most common British Columbia birds we saw. These pictures are from Whytecliff Park in West Vancouver and Tyee Spit in Campbell River, BC

    A light brown bird with dramatic black and white stripes on his head sits on a delicate pine tree branch at Whytecliff Park in West Vancouver, BC.
    A White-crowned Sparrow sits on leaves while he munches on grasses.
    The dramatic black and white head, plus the yellow beak, mark this White-crowned Sparrow.
    This dull gray bird sits on a bare branch, looking off to the distance at Tyee Spit in Campbell River, BC.

    Song and House Sparrows

    The Song and House Sparrows we have seen all over the world, including in our own backyard at home. But these ones were posing for me so nicely as if to say “take my picture Kari!” so I obliged!

    A brown and ivory speckled Song Sparrow sits in the brush of twigs at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby BC.
    Song Sparrow
    A buff-colored House Sparrow sits on a fence near Witty's Lagoon on Vancouver Island, watching all the people stroll by.
    House Sparrow

    Dark-eyed Junco

    The Dark-eyed Junco was another new Life Bird for me and we found it on the ground at Butchart Gardens in a wide open grassy area. I love his rich warm brown coloring (which my camera did not accurately capture – he was some distance away under the shade of a big tree). But he was fun to watch as he hopped around on the grass

    A dark-headed bird with a brown body walks on the grass at Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island.
    The Dark-eyed Junco has it's back to us as it shows off his rich brown coloring.
    The Dark-eyed Junco eats plant material that he picked up off the ground. His reddish brown coloring is so beautiful here.

    Chickadees

    The Chestnut-backed Chickadee was everywhere we went, but he was darn hard to catch sitting still for a photograph. They are in constant motion! The was the best shot I got and it doesn’t even show his rusty-red backside.

    Chestnut-backed Chickadee high up in the tree at Butchart Gardens.

    The small bird below remains a mystery to me. Merlin says it’s also a Chestnut-backed Chickadee, but the white eye mask is above the eye, not below it, and the bill is larger/longer than the Chickadee. Spotted at Deer Lake Park in Burnaby, just outside of Vancouver. If you have an identification suggestion, please let me know!

    A small buff-colored bird sits high in the tree at Deer Lake Park outside of Vancouver.

    Eastern Kingbird

    This beauty was hanging out near Pitt Lake, east of Vancouver. I really think the Kingbirds are one of the most photogenic birds in the Americas! And I love the bright white of their belly side, contrasting with the dark gray patterns on their back and wings.

    The juvenile Kingbird watches and waits for something to happen, sitting perched high in the treetop along the dikes at Pitt Lake Recreation Area, BC.
    The white-bellied Kingbird sits intently on a branch, looking for signs of danger.
    A young Eastern Kingbird shows us his backside as he sits on a twig, look to the right.
    Black and white Eastern Kingbird gathers materials for it's nest near Pitt Lake in Fraser Valley, BC

    Red-winged Blackbird

    I usually ignore the Red-winged Blackbird because we have so many in our yard at home in Minnesota, but sometimes, they catch my eye for different reasons.

    The females are especially interesting because they can have so many different colorations. See the two examples below – strikingly different. Lots of times I get excited thinking I’ve discovered a new bird, but nope, it’s just another female Red-winged Blackbird.

    A male red-winged blackbird shimmers in the sunlight as he sits on a branch, with his sharp pointed silver beak standing out.
    A rusty brown bird sits amongst colorful flowers in the sunlight sky at Piper Spit in Burnaby, BC.
    Observing the opportunities and threats around her, the greyish brown red-winged blackbird sits amongst the leaves of the tree.
    A female Red-winged blackbird with it's brown and white streaked chest looks around for it's next meal. At Burnaby Lake Regional Park in Greater Vancouver, British Columbia.

    Other British Columbia Song Birds

    The red-breasted nuthatch shows off his brilliant orange chest as he hangs upside down on the trunk of a tree in Metchosin. BC.
    Red-breasted Nuthatch
    The America Robin enjoys a berry as he poses amongst the trees at Witty Lagoon on Vancouver Island.
    American Robin
    The plump redpoll sits high in a dead tree, looking out for threats at Pedders Bay on Vancouver Island.
    Redpoll
    A pair of warm brown juvenile European Starlings look for food on a gray rocky beach. This is an uncommon bird for British Columbia.
    Juvenile European Starlings

    Hummingbirds in British Columbia

    At Butchart Gardens on Victoria Island, we found a few hummingbirds nestled in amongst the millions of flower blooms. Both of these were new additions to my Life List.

    Anna’s Hummingbird

    A green-backed hummingbird drinks nectar from bright red flowers at Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island.
    A brown-headed hummingbird with a green back and white/brown wings hovers with it's bill imbedded deep into the flowers.

    Rufous Hummingbird

    A light colored hummingbird flutters just below the brilliant pink fuschia blossoms in the entrance garden at Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island.

    Other British Columbia Birds

    Here are some other birds we saw in British Columbia and the Vancouver Area that didn’t neatly fit into another category.

    California Quail

    The California Quail is so much fun to come across! I love the teardrop shaped plumes, especially on the males. This plump bird is also busy like the Energizer Bunny – constantly in motion. We found them on Vancouver Island, both at Witty’s Lagoon and Pedder Bay. I especially like the bold streaking pattern on both the male and female Quails.

    A mature male California Quail has brilliant coloring on his chest, in shades of purple gray, buff and rusty red. Near the parking lot at Witty's Lagoon Regional Park in Metchosin, BC
    The male and female pair stand in the dry grass, looking for seeds and berries to eat near Pedder's Bay, BC.
    The Male Quail stands on a log, proudly displaying his distinctive black plume off the top of his head, and showing the dramatic black and white markings on his face.
    This California Quail shows us his backside with a busy pattern of streaking on his neck and the plainer brown gray feathers on his back.

    Crows and Pigeons

    Some British Columbia birds like the American Crow and the Rock Pigeon are so common throughout the world, that I usually never pay any attention to them at all.

    But sometimes, they catch my eye when the light hits them just right, showing off their iridescence in a manner that simply takes my breath away. It’s a good reminder that the angle of the sun can make all the difference in how brilliant or dull these creatures appear.

    Two large dark American Crows perch on tree branches against a bright blue sky at Esquimalt Lagoon in Colwood BC on Vancouver Island.
    A pair of Rock Pigeons stand together with their pink and green shimmery feathers and feet contrasting with their soft gray bodies.
    A lone Rock Pigeon stands on a rocky shore at Esquimalt Lagoon with his bright pink neck and feet, complimented by his variable gray body coloring.
    The Red eye is clearly visible on this Rock Pigeon has it stands amongst other birds on the rocks at Esquimalt Lagoon, a great bird-watching habitat near Victoria, BC.
    A group of 4 Rock Pigeons show off their green and pink feathers, glowing iridescent in the sunlight. In this image, their feet look almost orange instead of pink!
    A pair of rock Pigeons stand a dsitance apart from each other with varying shades of gray on their body feathers. At Esquimalt Lagoon in Colwood, BC, just outside of Victoria.

    Best Places to See British Columbia Birds and What You’ll Find At Each Stop

    Here are our favorite bird-watching spots in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island, along with the birds you’re most likely to see at each one. From city parks to coastal estuaries, these are the best birdwatching locations in Southwestern British Columbia and the species that call them home.

    Top Birding Spots Around Vancouver

    Vancouver and surrounding areas have a ton of great parks and hiking trails upon which to find common and new British Columbia birds.

    Stanley Park

    We spent most of our time at Stanley Park hiking along the 5 mile Seawall (link to SP post). This free park, just a few steps from downtown Vancouver, provides ample opportunities to be in nature and observe birds in a variety of habitats – coastline, forest, lake shore and more.

    A paved path called the Seawall goes along the water in Stanley Park in Vancouver, BC

    BIRDS WE SAW: Canadian Goose, Great Blue Heron, American Crow, Robin, Double-crested Cormorant, Mallard, Glaucous-winged Gull

    OTHER COMMON BIRDS often sighted in the Stanley Park area according to E-Bird: Surf Scoter, Barrow’s Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Red-winged Blackbird, American Wigeon, Snow Goose, Cackling Goose, Red-breasted Merganser, Bushtit, Dark-eyed Junco, Barn Swallow, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Bonaparte’s Gull, Short-Billed Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Wood Duck, Common Goldeneye, Pelagic Cormorant and Chestnut-backed Chickadee.

    Burnaby Lake Regional Park, Burnaby BC

    The suburb of Burnaby, located east of downtown Vancouver, has many great parks and reserves that we got to visit. Burnaby Lake Regional Park turned out to be our favorite, thanks to a couple we met while bird-watching at Deer Park.

    We ate lunch in the park and then headed down to the area called Piper Spit. It was a terrific bird-watching area with a long dock and great sightlines for spotting many water birds. The colorful Wood Ducks were my favorite.

    Dozens of ducks and geese swim in the water, moving in and around each other at Burnaby Lake Regional Park, just east of the City of Vancouver BC.

    BIRDS WE SAW: Swainson’s Thrush, Wood Duck (tons of them!), Mallard Duck, Great Blue Heron and Red-winged Blackbird

    OTHER COMMON BIRDS often sighted in the Burnaby Lake area according to E-Bird: Cackling Goose, Canadian Goose, Greater White-fronted Goose, Long-billed Dowitcher, Western Sandpiper, Black-capped Chickadee, Greater Scaup, Song Sparrow, Rock Pigeon, Brown Creeper, American Goldfinch, Band-tailed Pigeon, American Crow, Barn Swallow, Bushtit, Pine Siskin, Northern Pintail, Willow Flycatcher, Glaucous-winged Gull, Green-winged Teal and Lesser Scaup.

    Deer Lake Park, Burnaby, BC

    Another park in the suburb of Burnaby, Deer Lake Park offers great water recreation opportunities and nice trails along the Lake. We spent about an hour here and were excited to find a large bald eagle up in the tree, overlooking the lake.

    This park offers plenty of benches to sit and observe from, plus nice trails and public restrooms.

    Trees line the edge of Deer Lake in Burnaby, British Columbia and lily pads fill the water.

    BIRDS WE SAW: Bald Eagle, Canadian Goose, Mallard Duck, Song Sparrow

    OTHER COMMON BIRDS often sighted in the Deer Lake Park area according to E-Bird: Cackling Goose, Pine Siskin, American Crow, American Robin, American Coot, American Wigeon and Great Blue Heron.

    Pitt Lake / Pitt Meadows, Fraser Valley

    Located about an hour east of Vancouver, Pitt Lake is a large recreation area for boating, canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding and swimming. Its also a great place to spot wildlife and birds along the hiking trails!

    Pitt Lake east of Vancouver, BC offers scenic mountain views, tons of water recreation activities and plenty of bird-watching.

    BIRDS WE SAW: Cedar Waxwing, Eastern Kingbird, Belted Kingfisher, Osprey, Glaucous-winged Gull, Song Sparrow and Mallard Duck.

    OTHER COMMON BIRDS often sighted in the Pitt Lake and Pitt Meadows area according to E-Bird: American Robin, Lesser Scaup, Canadian Goose, Wilson’s Warbler, American White Pelican, Common Yellow-throat, Red-winged Blackbird, Warbling Vireo, Dark-eyed Junco, American Wigeon, Willow Flycatcher, Violet-green Swallow, Turkey Vulture, Tree Swallow, American Goldfinch, Yellow Warbler, Gadwall, Trumpeter Swan, Bufflehead, Vaux’s Swift, Cliff Swallow and European Starling.

    Other Parks for Birdwatching in the Greater Vancouver Area

    Some other parks we briefly visited include Queen Elizabeth Park, Whytecliff Park in West Vancouver and Shannon Falls up in Squamish. My local friends, Jennifer and Marcia, also recommended the Wild Bird Trust of BC in North Van, the Foreshore Trail in Pacific Spirit Regional Park near UBC as a great place for seabirds and shorebirds, and the Riverfront in Delta.

    Coastal Birding on Vancouver Island Near Victoria

    Vancouver Island was FANTASTIC as a bird-watching habitat, especially for shore and water birds, plus the Bald Eagles. Here are some of the best places we visited:

    Esquimalt Lagoon, Colwood, BC

    The Ocean Road road runs right through this area with ample parking on the Ocean side. On one side is Victoria Bay with a rocky beach strewn with driftwood (and some pretty creative driftwood art!). On the other side is a protected Lagoon and Bird Sanctuary that was home to a wide variety of birds and deer.

    Driftwood rests on the shore of a small lagoon that houses a estuary and bird sanctuary in Colwood BC on Vancouver Island.

    BIRDS WE SAW: Rock Pigeon, American Crow, Baird’s Sandpiper, Brewer’s Blackbird, Canadian Goose, Great Blue Heron and Glaucous-winged Gull.

    OTHER COMMON BIRDS often sighted in the Esquimalt Lagoon area according to E-Bird: Band-tailed Pigeon, Mallard, Ancient Murrelet, Short-billed Gull, European Starling, Western Sandpiper, Brown-headed Cowbird and Kildeer.

    Witty’s Lagoon Regional Park, Metchosin, BC

    This park has several different areas you can visit and the birds are abundant everywhere. We hiked to Tower Point, Lucas Num’ga Beach and the Sitting Lady Waterfall.

    I especially liked watching the Vultures flying out over the ocean to nearby islands – they are so graceful and elegant when they dip and swoop. And we found a whole family of the California Quail hanging out near the parking lot!

    BIRDS WE SAW: American Robin, Belted Kingfisher, California Quail, Glaucous-winged Gull, Great Blue Heron, Harlequin Duck, House Sparrow, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Spotted Towhee and Turkey Vultures.

    OTHER COMMON BIRDS often sighted in Witty’s Lagoon Regional Park, according to E-Bird: Western Sandpiper, California Gull, Canadian Goose, Short-billed Gull, Least Sandpiper, Red-necked Grebe, Bonaparte’s Gull, Mallard, European Starling, Bufflehead, Red-breasted Merganser, Pine Siskin, Dark-eyed Junco, Green-winged Teal, Surf Scoter and Golden-crowned Kinglet.

    Whiffin Spit Park, Sooke, BC

    This long stretch of land offers excellent bird watching for water fowl and shore birds from both sides of the Spit. Hundreds of gulls and sandpipers. Plus there are tons of benches there to sit and observe as you hike. We spent several hours there watching the birds hunting and swimming in the Salish Sea.

    A length of land called Whiffin Spit in Sooke, BC stretches into the water with mountains in the distance. It's a great place for birdwatching in British Columbia.

    BIRDS WE SAW: Baird’s Sandpiper, California Gull, European Starling, Short-billed Gull, and Glaucous-winged Gull.

    OTHER COMMON BIRDS often sighted in the Whiffin Spit area according to E-Bird: Bonaparte’s Gull, Canadian Goose, Western Sandpiper, Black Turnstone, Double-crested Cormorant, Ring-necked Duck, Harlequin Duck, Least Sandpiper and Brewer’s Blackbird.

    Tyee Spit, Campbell River, BC

    We spent a whole week exploring up-island near Campbell River. Lots of great birding locations, but Tyee Spit was my favorite. Wide open spaces along the water made easy viewing and the bird behaviors were fun to watch (see above for how the Common Mergansers skim across the water)!

    A panoramic view of the waterfront at Tyee Spit in Campbell River, BC - one of my favorite places to go bird watching in British Columbia!

    BIRDS WE SAW: American Herring Gull, Canadian Goose, Caspian Tern, California Gull, Common Merganser, Harlequin Duck, White-crowned Sparrow.

    OTHER COMMON BIRDS often sighted in the Tyee Spit area according to E-Bird: Bonaparte’s Gull, Common Murre, European Starling, Pacific Loon, Mallard, Short-billed Gull, Surf Scoter, Glaucous-winged Gull, Rock Pigeon, Snow Goose, Green-winged Teal, Dunlin, Red-winged Blackbird, Greater White-fronted Goose, Brewer’s Blackbird, American Crow, Bufflehead, Cackling Goose, Least Sandpiper and Western Sandpiper.

    Other Places We Went Birdwatching near Campbell River

    Quinsam River Hatchery & Nature Trails (Tons of Bald Eagles here!), Elk Falls, Strathcona Provincial Park (Lady Falls and Elk River Viewpoint), Waterfront in Campbell River, Bird Island on our Whale Watching Trip

    Tools for Birdwatching in British Columbia

    The Merlin App

    Bird-lovers around the world use the FREE Merlin app to help them identify the birds they find in the wild. I like all the different methods it offers to identify birds – Sound, Photo or the 5 step Question and Answer process. My favorite method is to upload a photo that I took with my camera.

    Merlin is usually good at identifying birds, but always trust your gut if it doesn’t seem like you got the right result. If I doubt it, I switch to the Step-by-Step method where I answer the 5 questions.

    I mostly use the Sound Identification method when we are out for a walk – I like to see how many different birds are around me, then try to spot them.

    Download the Free Merlin app to your phone before you leave on your trip. Then be sure to download the “Canada: West” bird pack or the “US and Canada: Continental” bird pack so you are all set to go!

    My Favorite Camera for Bird Photography

    I use the Canon SX70 for all my bird, wildlife and travel photography. It has a powerful 65-260x zoom (so no separate lenses needed), a viewfinder window, and it’s compact size makes it easy to carry (and to pack).

    It’s a fantastic point-and-shoot camera that really packs a big punch! In fact, 98% of the shots on this blog were taken with this camera – the rest are from our iPhones.

    In my opinion, the best camera for bird photography is the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS.

    I even wrote a post about all the reasons I love shooting with this camera. The post is safari focused, but all the reasons are the same for shooting birds as shooting elephants and lions!

    The Best Binoculars for Birding

    We are blessed to have a really good pair of 10×50 Swarovski binoculars that have been all over the world with us. They are a steep investment, but if you’re going to be traveling and birding more in the future, it’s one worth considering.

    The green and black Swarovski binoculars provide excellent opportunities for bird-watching in British Columbia.
    Bill stands by the red railing looking for British Columbia birds with his Swarovski binoculars.

    For less expensive binoculars, Travel and Leisure magazine recommends this pair or this pair. And REI has great information about how to choose a pair of binoculars.

    Conclusion: British Columbia Birds – A Birding Adventure

    British Columbia turned out to be a surprising birding destination for us. From the powerful sight of bald eagles along the coast to the flash of color from a hummingbird in the garden, every day brought a new discovery. We added 21 new species to our Life List — a reminder of how much there still is to see in this world.

    Whether you’re an experienced birder or just curious about the birds of BC, this region is a true paradise for nature lovers. If you’re heading to Vancouver or Vancouver Island, don’t forget your binoculars — you never know what feathered friends might be waiting in the trees above you.

    More Info on Canada

    Here are some more posts about Canada, British Columbia and Vancouver, including some that I’m still working on. If you’d like to receive emails when I’ve posted new content to the site, please complete the short form above.

    Vancouver:

    Vancouver Island:

    More on Bird and Wildlife Watching Around the World

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