LINK TO PDF NEWSLETTER DOWNLOAD
March 2025
SHARP SHINNED VS COOPER’S HAWK
Cooper’s (Coops) and Sharp-shinned (Sharpies) hawks are exciting birds and cunning hunters. Along with the Northern goshawk they make up the North American accipiters—forest hawks with short wings and long tails that help them maneuver through trees in pursuit of songbirds. Have you ever had a hawk terrorize the visitors at your feeders? No matter where you live in Canada, it was most likely a Cooper’s or Sharp-shinned. You should learn to tell the two apart—if you want to be able to curse them out correctly.
On average, Coops are about six inches bigger than Sharpies. To put it another way, Cooper’s hawks are around the size of a crow, while Sharp-shinned hawks are roughly the size of a Blue jay. That comparison might seem obvious on paper, but size can be deceiving, especially when there’s only one bird in sight.
These hawks present a significant identification problem for many beginning and intermediate (and even more advanced) birders. There is a great variation in plumage and in size for these two species. Therefore, perhaps more than any other similar-looking birds, no single field mark is likely to distinguish one species from another. Instead, the careful observer must use a combination of field marks and draw from the overall “gestalt” of the hawk for proper identification. No field guide will substitute for plenty of practice in the field.
For more information on this subject, please visit: https://feederwatch.org>tricky bird ids
Move Clocks Forward 1 hour
Sunday March 9, 2025
PLEASE TAKE NOTE OF THESE TEMPORARY CHANGES IN 2025
THERE WILL BE NO MOBILE SEED TRUCK ON LOCATION AS FOLLOWS:
WILDWOOD LOCATION:
TUESDAY MARCH 25, 2025
CROWFOOT LOCATION:
WEDNESDAY MARCH 26, 2025
We apologize for any inconvenience!
Our Spring 2025 Speaker Series starts in April! We have put together some exciting guest speakers with all new lectures. For this year’s Spring Speaker Series we are offering an early bird special! Purchase your tickets in February and early March and save $5.00!
Ticket Price: $15.00 + GST
CITY NATURE CHALLENGE 2025
Matt Wallace is the organizer and founder of the Calgary City Nature Challenge (CNC). April 25-28, 2025 marks the 7th annual event for our city, but what’s it all about? This presentation will tell the story of how the CNC has been a catalyst for the growth of citizen science in Calgary and dive into what we have learned about our urban biodiversity and how you can help to protect it by sharing your observations.
Ticket Price: $15.00 + GST
Purple Martins 101
Please join The Wild Bird Store and local Calgary purple martin landlord Andrew Barnes shares with us everything you need to know about purple martins and how to become a purple martin landlord.
“The Wildlife Experience of Tanzania”. Chris Fisher
Join Chris Fisher for a mesmerizing photo celebration of one of the world’s greatest natural regions. Tanzania features several of the most critical national parks in including Tarangire, Ngorongoro Crater and Seregenti that are not only exceptionally biodiverse, but also bucket-list draws for ecotourism. Chris has guided multiple photo tours to Tanzania and will introduce you to the fabulous wildlife including some of our most cherished birds and mammals.
Ticket Price: $20.00 + GST
Chris Fisher (MSc, PBiol) is perhaps best known as the author of a series books including “Birds of Alberta” – one of the most successful made-in-Alberta books in our province’s publishing history. He is regarded as one of our leading voice for all things Nature and is a frequent contributor in traditional and social media on wildlife and conservation stories. He has written and hosted documentary and TV series, produces the “Birds of Alberta” podcast, and lead wildlife tours throughout the world. Chris is sought-after as a sub-consultant for Environmental work on sensitive species surveys, assessments, regulatory and mitigation needs for industrial development projects in Alberta and has been speaking to with Albertans for decades about our wildlife.
Exploring Alberta’s Parks and Reserves—the Scenic Geology of Alberta
Allow Dale Leckie to help you explore Alberta’s most scenic sites. Dale tells the intriguing story of Alberta’s landscape evolution from Waterton Lakes National Park, to Dinosaur Provincial Park, into the Prairies, and across the North. With trips to Edmonton, Calgary, Crowsnest Pass, and Elk Island National Park, he takes you to explore volcanoes and glaciations long past.
Dale also delves into the relationship between wildlife and landscape which is exemplified in the lives of Golden eagles over the Rockies, American pika over eroding mountains, the burrowing owls on glaciated plains, and greater short-horned lizards surviving in badlands and a vast rain shadow.
Using eye-catching illustrations and photographs, Dale blends storytelling with science, incorporating natural landscape beauty with art and history.
Ticket Price: $20.00 + GST
Dale Leckie, Ph.D., P.Geol. writes best-selling books on the geology and landscapes of Alberta. The Scenic Geology of Alberta: A Roadside Touring and Hiking Guide (2021) encourages people to get out and explore the natural beauty of the province. His most recent book “Wildlife, Landscapes, and Geology: An Alberta and Saskatchewan Touring Guide” (2024) explores relationships between wildlife and geology by getting people out to explore and appreciate nature.
Creating a Mason Bee Habitat Seminars
CREATING A MASON BEE HABITAT
Wednesday April 30, 2025 at 6:00pm
Ticket price: $15.00(includes GST + fees)
CREATING A MASON BEE HABITAT
Wednesday May 7, 2025 at 2:00pm
Ticket price: $15.00 (includes GST +fees)
All participants on any bird walk must have purchased a ticket through our website – www.wildbirdstore.ca and present the ticket to Jim prior to the bird walk. The weather plays a big part in bird walks and Jim reminds participants to dress anticipating weather changes and to carry water to keep hydrated.
CARBURN PARK, Saturday March 8, 2025
9:00am meet at Carburn Park
Ticket price: $7.00 (includes GST + fees)
INGLEWOOD BIRD SANCTUARY, Saturday March 22, 2025
9:00am meet in parking lot at Inglewood Sanctuary
Ticket price: $7.00 (includes GST + fees)
HULL’S WOOD IN FISH CREEK PARK, Saturday April 5, 2025
9:00am meet in parking lot Bow Bottom Trail S.E.
Ticket price: $7.00 (includes GST + fees)
BURNSMEAD IN FISH CREEK PARK, Saturday April 19, 2025
9:00am meet at 153rd Avenue Parking Lot
Ticket price: $7.00 (includes GST + fees)
We offer a discount if you return your 20 LB or 40 LB seed bags so that we can re-use them (sorry—not the Mother Nature bags which we cannot re-use), suet ball containers, or if you bring your own container or bag to fill . This discount is in addition to any other discount offered.
Annual Seasonal Counts
The Spring Counts run each year from March 1 to April 22
The Fall Counts run from September 20 to November 15
2025 Spring Migration Count At Mt. Lorette Mar 6 – April 22
Since 1992, Rocky Mountain Eagle Research Foundation (RMERF) volunteers have performed annual raptor migration counts at the same site location in the Kananaskis Country, Alberta, spring and fall; significantly providing data to the understanding of and amazement in watching Golden Eagles.
Mt. Lorette Observations
The main observation site is the Hay Meadow, Mt. Lorette Site. The site is located in Kananaskis on the bank of the Kananaskis River. It has a view of the open valley. which allows excellent (though rather distant) viewing of the Fisher Range to the east. The bulk of the Golden Eagles and other raptors use this ridge as part of their preferred migration route.
Question:
I read somewhere that gulls actually learn from humans the tastiest foods to pilfer. Is this true?
Response:
Partly true. Whenever you spend any time at a beach or picnic place where there are lots of gulls of various species hanging about, know that they are eye-balling you carefully, or at least some of them. They want to know what you are eating. You see, gulls do have this nasty habit of pilfering food from humans, sometimes ripping it right out of our hands. I recall folks from my years in Montreal jokingly referring to them as “French Fry Hawks” due to their unpleasantly aggressive, and not to mention dangerous, habit of stealing fries right out of the hands of children. Not all gulls engage in this behavior though. A study in 2023 done in Brighton by scientists from the University of Sussex in the UK, showed that only about a fifth of the birds took interest in eating human foods. And the vast majority of these were adult birds. But it also demonstrated something even more interesting…..the ones that go after human food actually seem to seek our endorsement of what they should eat. The researchers placed two Walkers brand potato packets of different colours on the ground a few metres in front of single or small groups of Herring gulls on Brighton Beach. They then sat on the sand and held a chip packet that matched the colour of either one of the packets on the ground. Nearly all or at least 95% pecked at the chip packet that colour-matched the one the researchers were holding. This suggests that the gulls possess the ability to identify and compare objects within their surroundings. In short, they were looking around to see what the humans in their immediate vicinity were eating to help them decide what they should eat. This means that the gulls are a lot more intelligent than we give them credit for. And while that can be good for the gulls, it might not be so good for us!
David M. Bird, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Biology, McGill University www.askprofessorbird.com
David M. Bird is Emeritus Professor of Wildlife Biology and the former Director of the Avian Science and Conservation Centre at McGill University. As a past-president of the Society of Canadian Ornithologists, a former board member with Birds Canada, a Fellow of both the American Ornithological Society and the International Ornithological Union, he has received several awards for his conservation and public education efforts. Dr. Bird is a regular columnist on birds for Bird Watcher’s Digest and Canadian Wildlife magazines and is the author of several books and over 200 peer-reviewed scientific publications. He is the consultant editor for multiple editions of DK Canada’s Birds of Canada, Birds of Eastern Canada, Birds of Western Canada, and Pocket Birds of Canada. To know more about him, visit www.askprofessorbird.com or email david.bird@mcgill.ca.
From one of the Wild Bird Store’s customers: Hi, wondering whether the newsletter could include a piece on partridges? I keep seeing little groups of them in Calgary and was wondering about their history and ‘lifestyle’ living in a big city. Thank you for your question Dianne.
Often called “Hungarian partridge” or “Hun” to reflect the stock origin, Grey partridges were introduced to North America from Europe in the early 1900s as a gamebird for hunters. The Calgary Fish and Game Association introduced Grey partridges to Alberta around 1908.
During winter the birds burrow 10-15 foot long tunnels under the snow to reach food and shelter, spending much of their time in them. They also tend to congregate into large coveys, huddling together in a circle with each facing outward for warmth.
Grey partridges form pairs early in the year, and these birds will stay together until the autumn. Partridges lay the biggest clutches of any birds, with 14 to 15 eggs usual, and even bigger clutches often have been recorded. Only the female incubates the eggs, but the male is invariably close by. Both sexes are attentive parents, and where predators aren’t a problem it’s not unusual for all the chicks hatched to be reared. Cock Grey partridges can be remarkably brave (or foolhardy) in defence of their young, and have been recorded flying at weasels and even humans. The young can feed as soon as they leave the nest, and are capable of their first flight at 15 days.
Grey partridges are highly social birds, and after breeding it’s quite normal for two or even three families to join together to form sizeable coveys of 20 or more birds.
Author’s Note
Ring-necked pheasants are also not native to North America, but were introduced from China and Japan in the late 1880s. So too was the Chukar, native to parts of Asia and Pakistan, introduced to North America in 1893 but very few survived. Between 1931 and 1970, more Chukars were introduced to 10 western states and to British Columbia
28th Annual Songbird Festival May 24/25, 25
This local birding festival is an annual celebration of Spring Migration in the boreal forest including tours of the LSLBO, nature workshops, birding hikes, children’s activities, and of course, everyone favorite, the early bird Pancake Breakfast0
Saturday, May 24 – Songbird Festival
Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation, Lesser Slave Lake Provincial Park.
6:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Celebrate Spring Migration with a morning of birding fun at the Boreal Centre for Bird Conservation
For further information please visit: https://www.lslbo.org/education/songbird-festival/
Bald Eagle
A Bald eagle’s white head makes it look bald. But actually the name comes from an old English word, “balde”, meaning white. These graceful birds have been the national symbol of the United States since 1782.
Bald eagles can soar over 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) high, and their great eyesight lets them see fish up to a mile (1.6 kilometers) away. When they attack, they drop down at up to 100 miles an hour. Then they glide just above the water, snag a fish with their feet, and fly off to eat it.
“’The Wings over the Rockies Nature Festival’ conjures up an image of all that is great about Canada . . . spectacular scenery, abundant nature and a warm, human spirit of getting together in a worthy cause. The world over, when people think of Canada, they think of the glory of the Rockies. When you combine this with the upper reaches of the mighty Columbia, you have an unsurpassed natural setting. The continuous wetlands along the river are perfect as breeding areas and staging places for a significant number of bird species. This and the many other habitats provide a variety of ecosystems which will bring joy to any naturalist. But the idea of this festival goes far beyond a “get-together” of serious naturalists. It is an ideal chance for everyone to learn and share the excitement of nature ‘in the flesh’ so to speak.” —Robert Bateman, patron of the festival, wildlife artist and environmentalist.
Contact
Wings over the Rockies Nature Festival
250-342-2473 or 855-342-2473
wingsovertherockies@gmail.com
City Nature Challenge
Cities around the world collaborate to share observations of nature in the 2025 City Nature Challenge.
Started in 2016 as a competition between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the City Nature Challenge (CNC) has grown into an international event, motivating people around the world to find and document wildlife in their own cities. Run by Community Science teams at the California Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM), is an annual four-day global bioblitz at the end of April, where cities are in a collaboration-meets-friendly-competition to see what can be accomplished when we all work toward a common goal.
The 2025 CNC takes place in 2 parts: #1 April 25—28, 2025 Taking pictures of wild plants and animals
#2 April 29—May 4, 2025 Identifying what was found. Results will be announced on Monday, May 5, 2025
Results will be announced on Monday, May 5, 2025
For more information or to participate, please visit www.citynaturechallenge.org
We are excited to announce the 2025 Snow Goose Festival is on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 to celebrate the spring migration of snow geese through Beaverhill Lake near Tofield Alberta.
Everyone is welcome – from first-time to experienced birders, children, and adults to experience the wonder of nature as thousands of migrating snow geese, Canada geese, various shorebirds, cranes, and swans return to Beaverhill Lake on their migratory route to the north!
The festival includes several guided hiking and bus tours scheduled for each day, a free Trade Show in the Tofield Arena with kids crafts and activities, concessions, speakers, a Saturday Banquet & Silent Auction, and more!
More details at www.snowgoosefestival.ca
We’re excited to host our next Camrose Bird Festival in 2025. Please mark your calendar for Saturday, June 14 (930 am to 3 pm), at the Stoney Creek Centre in Camrose, Alberta. Stay tuned for more details. The day will involve presentations or workshops about the migration of American Kestrels (Alberta’s smallest falcon), State of Canada’s birds, managing a Purple Martin Colony, and attracting hummingbirds. We’ll also visit an active martin colony, take a bird walk, and have lots of fun kids’ activities.
Get ready to spread your wings and join us for an unforgettable celebration of feathered friends and the vital wetlands they call home during their annual migration north. The Creston Valley Bird Festival is an exciting event that takes place every second weekend in May, where you’ll get the chance to rub shoulders with bird experts – explore and deepen your appreciation for the great outdoors with presentations, hikes, field trips, and tours by canoe or kayak. uided bird tours, canoe trips at the Discovery Centre, Presentations, and valley events that discovers our local wildflowers, wine, beer, dairy, honey, stars, and bats! Registration for all events is available on April 2nd at 9 am.
Wildwood Community Centre (4411 Spruce Drive SW): Every Tuesday 3:00pm to 5:30pm
PLEASE NOTE: Mobile Seed Truck will not be at this location Tuesday March 25, 2025
Crowfoot Arena (corner of John Laurie & Nosehill Drive NW: Every Wednesday 2:00pm to 5:30pm
PLEASE NOTE: Mobile Seed Truck will not be at this location Wednesday March 26, 2025
Please place orders by 12:00 noon the day before the truck is on location
Text us @ (403)701-4571 OR email us at orders@wildbirdstore.ca
Earn and redeem customer loyalty points on the Mobile Seed Truck
DELIVERY: Deliveries will still be made on Thursdays ONLY. Please phone the store at (403) 640-2632 any day prior to 12:00 noon on the Wednesday before your delivery; place and pay for your delivery. Please phone with your order as early as possible to avoid disappointment. If you have any special instructions please do not forget to inform us when you place your order.
THE DELIVERY CHARGE WILL BE $10
MINIMUM ORDER FOR DELIVERY $25.
Have you checked out the Merlin app? Would you like a demonstration on how they will help you to identify birds? Stop by The Wild Bird Store during regular business hours and staff will be happy to show you how the app will enable you to identify birds in various ways.
Identify Bird Songs and Calls
Identify Birds by your Photos
Save Birds to Your Life List
Explore lists of birds near your location
DONATIONS
Located at The Wild Bird Store (near the seed bins). We collect your cash as well as “wishlist” donations and arrange to deliver them to local wildlife organizations including Calgary Wildlife Rehabilitation, Alberta Institute of Conservation and Ellis Bird Farm.
We ask for your support quarterly for each of these organizations.
For March, April and May, 2025 your donations will go to:
Ellis Nature Centre
Join us on Monday May 19th for our 2025 opening day!
Thank you for your support
Options for shopping at the Wild Bird Store
THE DELIVERY CHARGE WILL BE $10. MINIMUM $25 ORDER FOR DELIVERY.
Store hours are:
10:00am to 5:00pm Tuesday through Saturday
We offer a discount if you return your 20 LB or 40 LB seed bags so that we can re-use them (sorry—not the Mother Nature bags which we cannot re-use), suet ball containers, or if you bring your own container or bag to fill . This discount is in addition to any other discount offered.
Write a Google review on your experience at The Wild Bird Store, and as a thank you, we will give you 100 customer loyalty points ($5.00 value). To get a promo code, kindly email info@wildbirdstore.ca
(one Google review per customer)
Earn 200 customer loyalty points ($10.00 value) by referring a friend, acquaintance or fellow birder.
Please visit the store to get a promo code.
No need for a card, just give your phone number. You earn $1.00 for every $20.00 spent (excludes “sales” items, books & optics) and can be used in-store and on Mobile Seed Truck. As a loyalty member our monthly promotions and in-store “specials” are automatically given at the cash register.
Combining our Seniors 10% discount with the Loyalty Program. (Excludes “sales” items, books & optics).
Discount for membership 10% discount for members of Fish Creek Park, AIWC, Priddis Golf Club, Nature Calgary, Sandy Cross Conservation, Springbank Garden Club and Millarville Horticultural Society. Must present valid membership card at time of purchase.
Discount for Military Members & Veterans 10% discount on
purchases in-store or on Mobile Seed Truck (sorry—excludes “sales”
items, books, optics and consignment items)
Does your Aspects or Squirrel Buster feeder need some replacement parts?
Is the warranty & repair depot for:
Squirrel Buster® Bird Feeders
Aspects® Feeders
Did you know that we can repair/replace parts and make it look like brand new?
5901 3rd Street S.E.,
Calgary, AB T2H 1K3
email: info@wildbirdstore.ca
(403) 640 2632
The Store is open Tuesday through Saturday 10:00am to 5:00pm
We are CLOSED Sundays, Mondays and ALL Statutory holidays for Faith, Family and Friends.
We still offer curbside pickup every day we are open and delivery service on every other Thursday.
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