Bird Watching

Bring the binoculars

The long list of birds indigenous to Northern B.C. includes osprey, the Great Horned Owl, Trumpeter swans and sandpipers.

Birding is a very popular pastime in many communities, including Prince George, where within five minutes of the city limits, bird lovers may spot the colourful Golden or Ruby Crowned Kinglet or a Pileated Woodpecker. Forests for the World, Cottonwood Island Park and Crankbrook Hill Greenway are some of the best bird-viewing locations in this area.

There are also more remote locations for bird enthusiasts, like the Kispiox Valley in northwest B.C., with thick forests of old-growth cedar, hemlock, spruce and pine – perfect habitat for songbirds. Gitnadoix River Provincial Recreation Area in the Skeena region upriver from Prince Rupert is home to the majestic Trumpeter swan. Northern B.C.’s port city of Prince Rupert is also known for its large eagle population.

Northern B.C.’s east-west connector, also called the Yellowhead Highway or Highway 16, winds through the Bulkley Valley and into the Nechako River Valley near the communities of Vanderhoof, Fort St. James and the Lakes District. It’s here that one of North America’s largest eagle populations resides, along with several other distinctive species. The Vanderhoof Bird Sanctuary is a resting spot for migrating species. To the north near Smithers, Tyhee Lake Provincial Park has an easily accessible viewing platform.