Birding

Nature Calgary has a long history of exploring, counting and appreciating the many species of birds in the Calgary area. In fact, Nature Calgary evolved from the Calgary Bird Club, which was established in 1955. Today Nature Calgary organizes events, field trips, presentations and bird counts to continue this tradition. If you are new to birding or a seasoned veteran, join Nature Calgary to learn from fellow birders and explore birds throughout the Calgary region.

Nature Calgary Bird Study Group

The Bird Study Group encourages birding in the Calgary area by helping local birders develop their knowledge and skills. Our members are active local birders of all skill levels who are keen to share their knowledge and experiences. Meetings: The Bird Study Group meets on the first Wednesday of each month (except in June, July and August) with speakers, announcements, quizzes and information about birds. Join us to learn and share in the community of fellow birders. See all upcoming Bird Study Group meetings. The Bird Study Group meetings are free for Nature Calgary members and $5 for non-members (payable at the door). Contact the Bird Study Group: Send any messages to the Bird Study Group chair at birdstudy@naturecalgary.com. Mailing list: Nature Calgary members can sign up for the Bird Study Group newsletter to receive the latest updates on meetings, events and birding resources. Subscribe to the newsletter by updating your subscription option by logging into your membership account.

See available replays from previous Bird Study Group meetings.

Bird Counts

The Bird Study Group organizes an annual Christmas Bird Count in the Calgary region and Nature Calgary members participate in the May Species Counts.

Calgary & Area Christmas 2023 Bird Counts

• Calgary – 2024-12-15 – Contact: Matt at CityNatureYYC@gmail.com. Learn more about the Calgary Christmas Bird Count here.
• Chestermere – 2024 date TBA – Contact: Neil Denton (neil@suechick.com)
  
• Cochrane – 2024-12-21 Contact: kirstenepearson@gmail.com (Kirsten Pearson). For more information and to register, visit: sites.google.com/view/cochranecbc/join-the-count
• Fish Creek Park – 2024 date TBA –  Contact: jwashbrook1@gmail.com (Jim Washbrook)
  
• Priddis – 2024 date TBA – Contact: gmckinnonbird@gmail.com (Gavin McKinnon)

For a complete list of Alberta Christmas Bird Counts, visit Nature Counts.

Bird count results: We collect and present the bird count results from the Christmas and May species counts. See all results from the species counts since 1979.

Birding resources

Nature Calgary volunteers collect and share the latest in bird information, research and news. Visit our birding resources page for the complete listing of resources.

Upcoming birding events

Here are the upcoming Bird Study Group meetings and species counts. See the events calendar for all Nature Calgary events.