5 Best Places to Bird Watch inLethbridge

Lethbridge may be known for its coulees, its wind, and its bridge, but did you know that we are also one of the best destinations in Southern Alberta for bird watching? Though these animals may sometimes be small in size, they are great in number, so much so that if you were to take a half-hour drive circling the city, you could find over 300 species throughout the seasons! This makes Lethbridge the perfect place for both the beginner birder trying to see them all, as well as the seasoned professional looking to find something new.

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Getting Started

Before heading out, you need to make sure you’re equipped with everything a pro-birder might need, the most important of which is a good set of binoculars! If you don’t have a pair at home, head down to the Helen Schuler Nature Centre and inquire about borrowing a pair. Please note that the Nature Centre only carries a limited supply, so if you can, go early in the day!

Just as crucial as your binoculars is your bird book. With over 300 species, you’ll likely need a book to help you figure out which is which. If you’re not sure which book to buy, the pro-birders at the Nature Centre can help you out. And if you don’t want to purchase anything, check out the Centre’s very own bird book by clicking here or picking one up while you’re down at the interpretive centre.

The final piece of this puzzle is your bird checklist. You can either go old-style with the Nature Centre’s printed checklist or try out the eBird app.The latter contains a catalogue of all the app’s users, so on top of logging your own bird sightings, you can see what species were seen where by other users in the area!

Best Places to Bird Watch

With over 280km of trails to explore and over 300 species of birds to be found, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. But in order to help you out, we’ve spoken with some of the best birders at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre about the top 5 Lethbridge locations to go bird watching. With their help, we’ve even distinguished some of the most common or notable species you might find!

Helen Schuler Nature Reserve

The restrictions against biking, dog walking, and camping in this nature reserve have meant that the wild animal populations have flourished. Lucky for us, this includes the birds! By the time you step out of your car, we can guarantee that you’ll already have seen at least one bird to check off your list.

The Helen Schuler Nature Reserve has a vast network of self-guided trails for you to explore. The size of this trail network results in low visitor density, making your walk feel completely private—it will just be you and the birds out there! Throughout these trails, you are sure to see many different bird species hiding out in the trees or swooping through the skies. Some of the most common birds here are ravens (which nest in the High Level Bridge each year), white-breasted nuthatches, and chickadees!

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Elizabeth Hall Wetlands

As the name might imply, you can expect to find many water-loving birds at the Elizabeth Hall Wetlands. Thanks to the shallow and still waters of the wetlands, coots are a common sight. Easily recognizable by their black feathers and white beak, these birds are definitely one you can check off your list! Other waterfowl, such as mallard and redhead ducks, are also a common sight. Smaller birds like kingfishers and sandpipers also call these wetlands home, and make for an exciting sight to most of us prairie-folk. Known for their ability to hover mid-air while searching for food, kingfishers are easy to spot in flight. In contrast, sandpipers are usually found on land. They are often seen scurrying alongside the water’s edge, looking for their next snack.

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Nicholas Sheran Park

With its open sky and small clusters of trees, Nicolas Sheran Park presents a new natural environment. As a result, a unique and diverse spread of birds awaits discovery!

Some of the most common birds in Nicholas Sheran Park include robins, red-winged blackbirds, and a variety of waterfowl which enjoy the park’s feature lake. But Nicholas Sheran Park has a number of other recognizable species, including northern flickers, cedar waxwings, and even a variety of gulls! One of the most exciting species found here might just be the osprey. They have regularly been seen enjoying the lake and its lush environment. Nicholas Sheran Park’s open spaces and wide variety of birds make it an excellent location for beginner birders looking to test their identification skills.

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Pavan Park

As the city’s northernmost park, a visit to Pavan Park truly feels like an escape to nature. Consequently, many bird species call this area their home. Smaller species like warblers, tree swallows, and wrens, along with larger birds like the occasional pileated woodpecker, await birders who choose to explore this wild park. As you walk the trails, make sure to keep an eye on the sky so you don’t miss anything!

But what makes Pavan Park so special is not just its woodpeckers and wilderness trails. This park is also one of the best places in the city to see birds of prey. Bald eagles, kestrels, and great horned owls often spend their time in the trees that grow throughout this park. If you’re lucky, you may even see a nest!

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Botterill Bottom Park

Just like the Elizabeth Hall Wetlands, kingfishers are a common sight by the water’s edge in Botterill Bottom Park. But other colourful species like the American goldfinch and Baltimore orioles can also be found. Males of each species are distinguished by a solid-black head with either a bright yellow body or a flaming orange body, respectively.

Located on the eastern bank of the river, there are many trails throughout the forested area, as well as some that will take you down to the riverbank. These trails are the perfect road to this park’s crowning jewel: the pelicans. You may have seen them flying through the skies, but nothing beats seeing them floating along the river’s current. Make sure to snap some pics of this majestic sight!

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With so many parks to explore and so many birds to be seen, we guarantee your birding experience will be anything but dull. Once you’ve explored these areas, head over to the Helen Schuler Nature Centre for recommendations on where to find your next adventure—Lethbridge has countless spots just waiting to be discovered!