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

A Day Trip To Beaverhill Lake For Waterfowl And Prairie BirdsBeaverhill Lake, about 80 kilometres east of Edmonton, Alberta, is one of those prairie destinations that rewards an early start. Its broad wetland, shallow…
Field Notes: Spotting a Ferruginous Hawk on My PropertyThe first sign was a pale shape lifting from the stubble beyond the shelterbelt. It was larger and more deliberate than the Red-tailed Hawks I regularly see…
How to attract prairie birds to your farmyardA productive farmyard can become a valuable bird habitat when it offers food, shelter, nesting sites and clean water. The same basic approach used to attract…
Birding The Cypress Hills: A Unique Prairie OasisFor Australian birders, the Cypress Hills can feel wonderfully unexpected. Rising above the surrounding prairie in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, this…
The Best Time of Year to See Burrowing Owls in ManitobaBurrowing Owls are among Manitoba’s most distinctive prairie birds, but they are also one of the province’s more difficult species to find. Their low numbers,…
What to Pack for a Prairie Birding Camping TripA prairie birding camping trip rewards careful packing. The landscape may look open and simple, yet a full day among grasslands, wetlands and shelterbelts can…
A Field Guide To Southern Alberta’s Birding CountrySouthern Alberta offers an unusually rich birding journey, moving from prairie wetlands and cottonwood river valleys to foothills, grasslands and mountain…
A Beginner's Guide to Birding in Saskatchewan's GrasslandsSaskatchewan’s grasslands offer a very different birding experience from the wet forests and coastal habitats familiar to many Australian observers. The…
How To Identify Prairie Shorebirds By Their CallsPrairie shorebirds can be difficult to identify when they are distant, backlit, or hidden among shallow pools and wet pasture. Their calls often reveal a bird…

// 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.