Birds

Where's the birds? Click here to find a map showing where Shorebirds and Songbirds might be seen in the Kootenay's! 

Can you birdwatch right in Cranbrook? Absoloutly! On the southwestern edge of Cranbrook is a popular birdwatching wetland and grassland habitat. This area is known as Elizabeth Lake. Elizabeth Lake provides 300 acre for an amazing Bird Santuary. The lake and wetland is one kilometre in diameter rimmed by forest and marsh. 

Commonly Sighted Birds

Diving Ducks 

• Ring-necked Ducks
• Lesser Scaup
• Common & Barrow's Goldeneye 
• Redhead
• Canvasback
• Ruddy Duck

Dabbling Ducks

• Mallard
• Northern Pintail
• Teal (Blue-winged, Green-winged, Cinnamon)
• American Wigeon
• Gadwall

Grebes

• Horned & Red-necked
• Pied-billed

Swallows

• Northern Rough-winged
• Tree
• Violet-green
• Barn

Shorebirds

• Lesser & Greater Yellowlegs 
• Sora
• Killdeer
• Spotted Sandpiper

Blackbirds 

• Red-winged
• Yellow-headed
• Brewer's
• Cowbird

Nesting In Shrubs on Shore

• Red-eyed & Warbling Vireo
• Sparrows (White-crowned, Chipping, Savannah, Song)
• Townsend's Solitaire
• Gray Catbird
• House Finch
• Yellow Warbler 
• Willow Flycatcher 
• Eastern Kingbird 
• Bullock's Oriole
• American Robin 

Nesting on Islands & Cattails

• Common Yellowthroat
• Black Tern
• Canada Goose
• Marsh Wren

Hawks & Falcons

• Red-tailed
• Sharp-shinned
• American Kestrel
• Goshawk

Birds Occasionally Sighted

• Great Egret 
• White-faced Ibis
• Mountain & Western Birdbird
• American Avocet
• Vaux's Swift
• Western Meadlark 
• Wilson's Phalarope 
• Black-necked Stilt