Welcome to Prairie Birder — birding from the Alberta prairies
Prairie Birder
Wide prairie landscape with tall grasses and a distant slough under a big open sky, muted golds and soft blues
// Welcome

A personal birding blog by Charlotte, documenting sightings across the Alberta prairies — from annual species lists to conservation updates and resources for young birders.

Posts

Birding the Qu’Appelle Valley in All SeasonsThe Qu’Appelle Valley is one of Saskatchewan’s most rewarding birdwatching landscapes, with prairie grasslands, wooded coulees, wetlands, lakes and steep…
binoculars for vast open spacesStanding on a saltpan south of Adelaide as banded stilts wheel across the sky, you quickly learn how unforgiving flat country can be. Distant shorebirds shrink…
From Campground to Blind: Birding Setups That Actually WorkBirds reward the patient observer, and the right setup makes the difference between a fleeting glimpse and a long, intimate watch. Most birders start with…
Chasing Baird's Sparrow Across the Northern PrairiesThe first thing a traveller from Brisbane or Melbourne notices on the Canadian prairies is the sheer scale of the sky. It bends like a saucer over endless…
Logging prairie birds with eBird: a practical guideeBird has quietly become the world's largest biodiversity-related citizen science project, with more than a billion sightings logged since its launch. Run by…
A Guide to Community Pastures for BirdersCommunity pastures are some of the most rewarding places to watch prairie birds in Canada. These large grazing landscapes, found especially across Alberta,…
The loggerhead shrike faces an uncertain future on the prairiesFew birds blur the line between songbird and raptor quite like the loggerhead shrike. This grey, masked hunter of open country impales grasshoppers, beetles,…
Photographing birds under the wide open prairie skyThe flat, wide horizons of grassland country offer some of the most rewarding bird photography imaginable, but they also bring a unique set of challenges.…
Spin Samurai Casino Games And Betting Guide For Australian PlayersFor many Australians, online casino entertainment is part of a broader digital leisure routine that may include travel planning, sports, gaming, and exploring…
Understanding Sandhill Crane Migration Across North AmericaSandhill Cranes are among the most memorable migrants in North America. Their rolling calls often arrive before the birds themselves, carrying across prairie…

// Latest Posts

Small bird perched on a bare branch against a pale sky

Birding News #95 — Holiday Edition

December 2014
Close-up of a bird nest atop a bare tree against blue sky

Great Canadian Birdathon 2016 Results

May 2016
Two storks standing on a twig nest on a wooden platform under grey sky

Tofield Snow Goose Chase

April 2016
Dried sunflower head on a stalk in snow beneath evergreen branches

Giveaway Winner — Best Places to Bird in the Prairies

April 2018
View all posts →

Alberta Bird Lists →

Annual species lists from 2011 through 2018, tracking every bird spotted across the province.

Bird Conservation →

Citizen science projects, the Great Canadian Birdathon, and the WildResearch Alberta Nightjar Survey.

Birding Events →

Coverage of the Tofield Snow Goose Chase, Young Naturalists' Corner, and community gatherings.

Young Birder Resources →

Christmas Bird Count guides, CBC4Kids materials, and resources for new birders of all ages.

Explore the site

Whether you're looking for detailed Alberta species records, tips on bird identification, or news from the birding community, there's something here for every prairie bird enthusiast.

The Alberta Birds section archives year-by-year species counts — from 131 species in 2011 to a high of 175 in 2015. The Conservation category covers volunteer surveys and citizen science opportunities. Events highlights community involvement, and the Resources section is built especially for young birders getting started.

Check out the Birding News series for curated links and stories, or browse book reviews covering field guides and prairie birding literature from publishers like Greystone Books.