Winter transforms Canadian backyards into bustling hubs of feathered activity. While many birds fly south to escape the cold, some hardy species stick around, bringing colour and life to snowy landscapes. Learning which birds visit and how to welcome them safely can turn your backyard into a winter wildlife sanctuary.
Always follow local wildlife feeding guidelines and maintain clean feeding stations to prevent disease spread among bird populations.
1. Black-Capped Chickadee
Cheerful and fearless, this little bird becomes a backyard favourite with its curious personality. Black oil sunflower seeds work like magic to bring them close, and they will even eat from your hand with patience.
Keep feeders stocked consistently since chickadees cache food for later. They remember thousands of hiding spots throughout winter. Suet cakes provide essential fat that helps them survive frigid nights when temperatures plummet below freezing.
2. Northern Cardinal
Brilliant red males stand out like holiday ornaments against white snow, while females sport elegant tan plumage with red accents. Safflower seeds attract cardinals without inviting squirrels to the feast.
Platform or hopper feeders work best since cardinals prefer stable perches. Dense shrubs nearby offer shelter from predators and harsh winds. Their cheerful whistles add a musical soundtrack to cold mornings when most other songbirds stay quiet.
3. Downy Woodpecker
Tiny but mighty, this woodpecker pecks through bark searching for hidden insects even in freezing weather. Suet feeders become essential dining spots when natural food sources get buried under snow and ice.
Leave dead tree limbs standing if safe, as they provide natural foraging grounds. Males sport a small red patch on their heads. Peanut butter mixed with cornmeal makes an inexpensive homemade treat they absolutely love.
4. Dark-Eyed Junco
Often called snowbirds, juncos arrive as temperatures drop and snow begins to fall. Ground feeding suits their style perfectly, so scatter millet or cracked corn directly on cleared patches of snow.
Watch them hop around in small flocks, flashing white tail feathers as they search for seeds. Platform feeders placed low work well too. Their presence signals winter has truly arrived, and they stay until spring warmth returns to Canada.
5. Blue Jay
Bold and intelligent, blue jays bring striking colour and loud personalities to winter yards. Whole peanuts in the shell become their favourite treat, and they will carry them away to hide for later meals.
Their warning calls alert other birds to nearby predators like hawks or cats. Provide a birdbath with a heater to offer liquid water when everything else freezes solid. Jays cache hundreds of seeds, accidentally planting oak trees across Canada.
6. American Goldfinch
Bright yellow summer feathers fade to olive tones for winter camouflage, but their bouncy flight remains unmistakable. Nyjer seed in tube feeders brings flocks of these acrobatic eaters to your yard daily.
They travel in chatty groups, creating a constant soft twittering sound. Unlike most birds, goldfinches are strict vegetarians year round. Keep feeders clean since nyjer can spoil and make birds sick during wet winter weather conditions.
7. House Finch
Males wear raspberry red colouring on their heads and chests, while females show brown streaks throughout. Black oil sunflower seeds keep them happy, and they are not picky about feeder types or placement locations.
Social by nature, house finches gather in noisy flocks that bring constant activity. Clean feeders weekly to prevent eye disease that spreads quickly among these birds. Their warbling songs brighten even the coldest, greyest winter days across Canada.
8. White-Breasted Nuthatch
Walking headfirst down tree trunks is this bird’s signature move, searching bark crevices for sleeping insects. Suet and sunflower seeds attract them reliably to feeders throughout the coldest months of winter.
Their nasal calls sound like tiny toy horns honking in the trees. Nuthatches wedge large seeds into bark and hammer them open with strong beaks. Mature trees in your yard provide natural habitat that keeps them coming back year after year.
9. Evening Grosbeak
Stunning yellow and black plumage makes evening grosbeaks look almost tropical despite loving cold weather. Their massive pale bills crack sunflower seeds with impressive ease, and they eat enormous quantities when flocks descend on feeders.
Sightings vary year to year depending on northern food supplies. When they do appear, stock up on seeds because these hungry visitors empty feeders fast. Their presence indicates a special winter for birdwatchers across Canada.
10. Bohemian Waxwing
Sleek and elegant, these birds travel in large flocks stripping berry bushes clean in hours. Plant mountain ash, crabapple, or juniper to create natural winter food sources that attract dozens at once.
Waxy red tips on wing feathers give them their unique name. They produce high pitched whistles while feeding together. Waxwings sometimes get tipsy eating fermented berries, making them vulnerable to window strikes and predators during winter.
