2025 May Bird Count 
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Mountain Bluebird by Sydney Mohr
On May 24 and May 25 2025 the ENC 4th yearly May Species Count was held.
47 people participated reporting 153 species and 11,622 individual birds from 100 checklists over Zone 1 - 8. Zone 9 did not have any observations.
No additional species were identified during the count week.
Weather conditions were fair to good both days with lows of 11 Degrees and highs of 27 degrees with light to moderate winds.
The count identified 5 species not reported on previous counts bringing the total for the 4 years to 212 species. 
​Participants used a variety of strategies on the Count weekend: visiting  urban natural areas and city parks or travelling to outlying hotspots in the region. Covering these various habitats helps to get the entire spectrum of species we’re trying to record. 
Thank you to everyone who participated and made our Count a success!
Top Three - species reported on the most checklists: 
Mallard, Canada Goose and Yellow Warbler 
closely followed by Red-winged Blackbird and Clay-coloured Sparrow.
Least Seen - Reported on one or two checklists, these species included, but are not limited to: 
Both Surf Scoters and White-winged Scoters were paused at Hastings Lake. A pair of Eurasian Collared-doves were located just east of the city. A lack of suitable wetland habitat meant that most waders and shorebirds were found only in very small numbers.  
New for the Count
The new species were Arctic Tern, Western Kingbird, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, and American Pipit.

Adding Arctic Tern took a keen eye and ear! It has similarities to our most common Forster's Tern which is often found in marshy wetlands. The also similar looking Common Tern, is not common around Edmonton. It is sometimes seen during migration on larger bodies of water (lakes). 
https://birdquiz.net/tern-identification/​
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Western Kingbird by Andrew Ross
​Many counters don’t take time for photographs or just snap quick record shots when possible, it’s the nature of the event. It is wonderful to get a glimpse of the bird diversity in the Edmonton area. All shared photos are greatly appreciated!
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Pileated Woodpecker by Ann Carter
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Red-necked Phalarope by Sydney Mohr
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Great Blue Heron by Ann Carter
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Great horned owlets by Andrew Ross
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Common Grackle by Sydney Mohr
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Eastern Bluebird by Sydney Mohr
​Additional Count details including all the shared checklists may be found at https://ebird.org/tripreport/377239             ​
Comparison to Previous Years
#Species #Individual Birds
2022 189 33,729
2023 164 13,556
2024 136 14 ,192
2025 153 11,622
Results from the previous year HERE.
Details for participating in the 2026 Count will be available next spring.
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Bird Friendly Edmonton acknowledges the traditional land on which we reside, in Treaty Six Territory. We would like to thank the diverse Indigenous Peoples whose ancestors’ footsteps have marked this territory for centuries, such as nêhiyaw Nay-he-ow, (Cree), Dené, Anishinaabe (Saulteaux), Nakota Isga (Nakota Sioux), and Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) peoples. We also acknowledge this as the Métis’ homeland and the home of one of the largest communities of Inuit south of the 60th parallel. It is a welcoming place for all peoples who come from around the world to share Edmonton as a home. Together, we call upon all our collective, honoured traditions and spirits to work in building a great city for today and future generations.
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