News

126th Christmas Bird Count High Counts of Species in Canada

December 14, 2025 to January 5, 2026
Eurasian Bullfinch
By Yousif Attia
Canada CBC Coordinator, Birds Canada
Published October 29, 2026

During the 126th Christmas Bird Count (CBC) in Canada, counts reported 292 species, an increase of eight species compared to last season. One species (Eurasian Bullfinch) was new for the all-time Canada list, bringing the total to 447 species. Two additional species: Little Gull and Yellow-throated Warbler were only recorded during Count Week (three days prior to, and three days after a designated Count Day). 

All ten Canadian provinces and three territories recorded at least one species high count during the 126th CBC season. Circles in British Columbia recorded or tied for the most species with high counts (148), followed by Ontario (57) and Nova Scotia (27). Victoria, BC, was the circle to record the most species high counts (35), followed by Ladner, BC (18), and White Rock-Surrey-Langley, BC (11). Fifty-five high counts are high counts not only for Canada, but all North America during the 126th (records in bold font). Un-naturalized exotics and hybrids are excluded from this list.

Table 1. High Counts for circles in Canada during 126th (2025-26) Christmas Bird Count 

Common NameCountCircle(s)
Pink-footed Goose1St. John's, NL
Greater White-fronted Goose46Victoria, BC
Snow Goose1262Vancouver, BC
Ross's Goose1Medicine Hat, AB; Blenheim, ON
Brant1735Ladner, BC
Cackling Goose4632Chilliwack, BC
Canada Goose23066Lethbridge, AB
Mute Swan948Gananoque, ON
Trumpeter Swan1037Chilliwack, BC
Tundra Swan4188Holiday Beach, ON
Wood Duck198Victoria, BC
Gadwall242Kuskanook, BC
Eurasian Wigeon53White Rock-Surrey-Langley, BC
American Wigeon30022Ladner, BC
American Black Duck2614Tadoussac, QC
Mallard11956Calgary, AB
Blue-winged Teal1Rossland-Warfield, BC
Cinnamon Teal3Vancouver, BC
Northern Shoveler958Ladner, BC
Northern Pintail3561Ladner, BC
Green-winged Teal5422Ladner, BC
Canvasback17438Holiday Beach, ON
Redhead3300Kettle Point, ON
Ring-necked Duck399Duncan, BC
Tufted Duck45St. John's, NL
Greater Scaup11306Point Pelee, ON
Lesser Scaup662Duncan, BC
King Eider1Presqu'ile P.P., ON; Toronto, ON
Common Eider1331Cape Race, NL
Harlequin Duck396Deep Bay, BC
Surf Scoter5454Comox, BC
White-winged Scoter2589Peach Tree, ON
Black Scoter1008East Point, PE
Long-tailed Duck18527Peach Tree, ON
Bufflehead2773Tofino, BC
Common Goldeneye7378Point Pelee, ON
Barrow's Goldeneye2145Lower Howe Sound, BC
Hooded Merganser407Victoria, BC
Common Merganser3064Manitoulin Island, ON
Red-breasted Merganser1843Hamilton, ON
Ruddy Duck236White Rock-Surrey-Langley, BC
California Quail1902Oliver-Osoyoos, BC
Chukar36Oliver-Osoyoos, BC
Ring-necked Pheasant289Sackville, NB
Gray Partridge1100Regina, SK
Ruffed Grouse35Cape Tormentine, NB
Spruce Grouse16Whitehorse, YT
Willow Ptarmigan139Yellowknife, NT
Rock Ptarmigan8Iqaluit, NU
White-tailed Ptarmigan4Whitehorse, YT
Dusky Grouse2Penticton, BC
Sharp-tailed Grouse171Rivers, MB
Wild Turkey589Alfred-Montebello, ON
Red-throated Loon56Skidegate Inlet, BC
Pacific Loon1374Parksville-Qualicum Beach, BC
Common Loon107Cape Sable Island, NS
Yellow-billed Loon2Sooke, BC
Pied-billed Grebe63Victoria, BC
Horned Grebe370Sidney-South Saltspring, BC
Red-necked Grebe174Pender Harbour, BC
Eared Grebe3White Rock-Surrey-Langley, BC
Western Grebe795Skidegate Inlet, BC
Clark's Grebe1Parksville-Qualicum Beach, BC
Northern Fulmar1Little River-Powell River Ferry, BC; St. John's, NL
Short-tailed Shearwater112Parksville-Qualicum Beach, BC
Northern Gannet35Halifax-Dartmouth, NS
Brandt's Cormorant2454Galiano-North Saltspring, BC
Double-crested Cormorant1480White Rock-Surrey-Langley, BC
Great Cormorant119Brier Island, NS
Pelagic Cormorant563Tofino, BC
American White Pelican1Selkirk, MB
American Bittern1Ladner, BC; Cape Race, NL
Great Blue Heron221Ladner, BC
Great Egret2Chilliwack, BC
Black-crowned Night Heron7Toronto, ON
Glossy/White-faced Ibis1Vancouver, BC
Black Vulture3Niagara Falls, ON
Turkey Vulture157Yarmouth, NS
Osprey1Medicine Hat, AB
Golden Eagle47Pemberton-Mt. Currie, BC
Northern Harrier108Ladner, BC
Sharp-shinned Hawk16Calgary, AB
Cooper's Hawk52Victoria, BC
American Goshawk4AB; Sensitive species 
Bald Eagle653Ladner, BC
Red-shouldered Hawk5Holiday Beach, ON
Broad-winged Hawk1Amherst, NS; Glace Bay, NS
Swainson's Hawk1Miscou Island, NB
Red-tailed Hawk95Toronto, ON
Rough-legged Hawk23Sackville, NB
Virginia Rail31Kelowna, BC
Sora2Duncan, BC
American Coot959Penticton, BC
Sandhill Crane4977Long Point, ON
Black-necked Stilt1White Rock-Surrey-Langley, BC
Black Oystercatcher192Deep Bay, BC
Black-bellied Plover771Ladner, BC
Killdeer194Ladner, BC
Spotted Sandpiper3Ucluelet, BC
Greater Yellowlegs129White Rock-Surrey-Langley, BC
Lesser Yellowlegs1Cape Sable Island, NS
Hudsonian Whimbrel4Ladner, BC
Long-billed Curlew1White Rock-Surrey-Langley, BC
Marbled Godwit2White Rock-Surrey-Langley, BC
Ruddy Turnstone1Campbell River, BC; Port Clements, BC; Port L'Hebert, NS
Black Turnstone397Deep Bay, BC
Red Knot10Chezzetcook, NS
Surfbird124Ucluelet, BC
Sanderling390Rose Spit, BC
Dunlin55147Ladner, BC
Rock Sandpiper4Sunshine Coast, BC
Purple Sandpiper280Cape Race, NL
Least Sandpiper2Broughton Strait, BC; Sidney-South Saltspring, BC
White-rumped Sandpiper5Cape Race, NL
Western Sandpiper14White Rock-Surrey-Langley, BC
Short-billed Dowitcher2Victoria, BC
Long-billed Dowitcher155White Rock-Surrey-Langley, BC
Wilson's Snipe506Ladner, BC
American Woodcock1Long Point, ON; Point Pelee, ON
Red Phalarope1Victoria, BC
Dovekie85Ferryland, NL
Common Murre925Campbell River, BC
Thick-billed Murre2Cape Race, NL
Razorbill180Grand Manan Island, NB
Black Guillemot168Ferryland, NL
Pigeon Guillemot265Broughton Strait, BC
Marbled Murrelet162Pender Harbour, BC
Ancient Murrelet3011Sidney-South Saltspring, BC
Rhinoceros Auklet32Victoria, BC
Atlantic Puffin5Halifax-Dartmouth, NS
Black-legged Kittiwake426Brier Island, NS
Bonaparte's Gull8900Parksville-Qualicum Beach, BC
Black-headed Gull15Antigonish, NS
Little GullCOUNT WEEKPictou Harbour, NS
Short-billed Gull2219Vancouver, BC
Ring-billed Gull1277Niagara Falls, ON
Western Gull3Galiano-North Saltspring, BC; Sooke, BC; Victoria, BC
California Gull585Penticton, BC
American Herring Gull6841Niagara Falls, ON
Iceland Gull921Powell River, BC
Lesser Black-backed Gull10St. John's, NL
Glaucous-winged Gull6821Ladner, BC
Glaucous Gull73Iqaluit, NU
Great Black-backed Gull1981Longueuil, QC
Forster's Tern1The Sydneys, NS
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)4181Toronto, ON
Band-tailed Pigeon16Sidney-South Saltspring, BC
Eurasian Collared-Dove412Kelowna, BC
Mourning Dove1163Wallaceburg, ON
American Barn Owl6BC; Sensitive Species 
Western Screech-Owl3Victoria, BC
Eastern Screech-Owl34Skunk's Misery, ON
Great Horned Owl44Victoria, BC
Snowy Owl10Moose Jaw, SK
Northern Hawk Owl6NT; Sensitive Species 
Northern Pygmy-Owl4Lake Country, BC
Barred Owl25Victoria, BC
Great Gray Owl4BC; Sensitive Species
Long-eared Owl3ON; Sensitive Species 
Short-eared Owl23Prince George, BC
Boreal Owl1Devon-Calmar, AB; Edmonton, AB; Ottawa-Gatineau, ON; Whitehorse, YT
Northern Saw-whet Owl10Lunenburg, NS
Anna's Hummingbird810Victoria, BC
Rufous Hummingbird1Victoria, BC
Belted Kingfisher51Pender Islands, BC
Red-headed Woodpecker2Midland-Penetanguishene, ON; Frontenac, ON
Red-bellied Woodpecker155London, ON
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker14Woodhouse Township, ON; Long Point, ON
Red-breasted Sapsucker11Sooke, BC
Downy Woodpecker438Edmonton, AB
Hairy Woodpecker144Ottawa-Gatineau, ON
American Three-toed Woodpecker5Banff-Canmore, AB
Black-backed Woodpecker3Quebec, QC; La Foret Larose, ON
Northern Flicker485Victoria, BC
Pileated Woodpecker105Edmonton, AB
American Kestrel23Victoria, BC
Merlin18Calgary, AB
Gyrfalcon1AB and ON; Sensitive Species
Peregrine Falcon9Victoria, BC
Prairie Falcon4Milk River, AB
Eastern Phoebe2Long Point, ON
Say's Phoebe1Kelowna, BC; Lake Country, BC
Northern Shrike18Quebec, QC
White-eyed Vireo1St. Martins, NB
Blue-headed Vireo1Cape Sable Island, NS; Yarmouth, NS
Hutton's Vireo6Sidney-South Saltspring, BC; White Rock-Surrey-Langley, BC
Canada Jay56Eagle River, ON
Steller's Jay145Chilliwack, BC
Blue Jay783Edmonton, AB
California Scrub-Jay2Pitt Meadows, BC
Black-billed Magpie3716Calgary, AB
Clark's Nutcracker47Kimberley, BC
American Crow127339St. Clair N.W.A., ON
Fish Crow3Kingston, ON
Common Raven2851Whitehorse, YT
Horned Lark1172Point Pelee, ON
Tree Swallow1Brier Island, NS
Barn Swallow4Vancouver, BC
Black-capped Chickadee3112Ottawa-Gatineau, ON
Mountain Chickadee238Banff-Canmore, AB
Chestnut-backed Chickadee2777Victoria, BC
Boreal Chickadee87St. John's, NL
Tufted Titmouse33Cowansville, QC
Bushtit1358Victoria, BC
Red-breasted Nuthatch812Edmonton, AB
White-breasted Nuthatch484Ottawa-Gatineau, ON
Pygmy Nuthatch314Kelowna, BC
Brown Creeper225Victoria, BC
Rock Wren1Peachland, BC
Canyon Wren23Vaseux Lake, BC
Northern House Wren4Lower Howe Sound, BC
Pacific Wren399Victoria, BC
Winter Wren35Long Point, ON
Marsh Wren42Ladner, BC
Carolina Wren49Long Point, ON
Bewick's Wren216Victoria, BC
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher1Victoria, BC
American Dipper38Yalakom Valley, BC
Golden-crowned Kinglet1168Victoria, BC
Ruby-crowned Kinglet229Victoria, BC
Eastern Bluebird159Kawartha, ON
Western Bluebird291Penticton, BC
Mountain Bluebird1Ladner, BC; Penticton, BC; Sidney-South Saltspring, BC
Townsend's Solitaire60Williams Lake, BC
Swainson's Thrush1Slocan Lake, BC
Hermit Thrush40Sooke, BC
American Robin61408Victoria, BC
Varied Thrush722Sooke, BC
Gray Catbird2Long Point, ON
Brown Thrasher1Carman, MB; Dryden, ON; La Foret Larose, ON; Long Point, ON
Northern Mockingbird13Toronto, ON
European Starling16545Victoria, BC
American Pipit60Abbotsford-Mission, BC
Bohemian Waxwing14540Prince George, BC
Cedar Waxwing822Glace Bay, NS
Lapland Longspur52Point Pelee, ON
Snow Bunting9698Blenheim, ON
Ovenbird1Toronto, ON
Northern Waterthrush1Yarmouth, NS
Black-and-white Warbler1Port L'Hebert, NS
Orange-crowned Warbler6Halifax-Dartmouth, NS
Nashville Warbler2Halifax-Dartmouth, NS
Common Yellowthroat2Halifax-Dartmouth, NS
Palm Warbler1Cape Sable Island, NS; Port L'Hebert, NS; Wolfville, NS
Pine Warbler2Bedford-Sackville, NS; Quispamsis-Hampton, NB; Saint Andrews, NB; Halifax-Dartmouth, NS; Pictou Harbour, NS; Truro, NS; West Hants, NS; Wolfville, NS
Yellow-rumped Warbler50Abbotsford-Mission, BC
Yellow-throated WarblerCOUNT WEEKCheticamp, NS
Townsend's Warbler3Sooke, BC
Wilson's Warbler1Bella Coola, BC; Kelowna, BC
Yellow-breasted Chat1Halifax-Dartmouth, NS
American Tree Sparrow1002Long Point, ON
Chipping Sparrow4Jemseg-Gagetown, NB; Kingston, NS
Field Sparrow9Long Point, ON
Fox Sparrow385Victoria, BC
Dark-eyed Junco6823Victoria, BC
White-crowned Sparrow618Victoria, BC
Golden-crowned Sparrow1985Victoria, BC
Harris's Sparrow1Kelowna, BC; Nakusp, BC; Vancouver, BC; Wells-Bowron, BC; Balmoral, MB; Carman, MB; Dryden, ON; Woodstock, ON
White-throated Sparrow214Long Point, ON
Vesper Sparrow2St-Jean-sur-le-Richelieu, QC
Savannah Sparrow43Sable Island, NS
Song Sparrow1011Vancouver, BC
Lincoln's Sparrow21Victoria, BC
Swamp Sparrow52Blenheim, ON
Spotted Towhee1007Victoria, BC
Eastern Towhee4Wallaceburg, ON
Northern Cardinal687Ottawa-Gatineau, ON
Rose-breasted Grosbeak1Huntsville, ON
Painted Bunting1Cape Tormentine, NB
Dickcissel2The Sydneys, NS
Red-winged Blackbird1487Long Point, ON
Western Meadowlark66Victoria, BC
Eastern Meadowlark3Point Pelee, ON
Yellow-headed Blackbird1Pakenham-Arnprior, ON; Wallaceburg, ON
Rusty Blackbird49Blenheim, ON
Brewer's Blackbird1624Chilliwack, BC
Common Grackle680Wallaceburg, ON
Brown-headed Cowbird1260Dunnville, ON
Hooded Oriole1Tofino, BC
Baltimore Oriole1St. John's, NL; Lunenburg, NS; Truro, NS
Brambling1Greater Masset, BC; Smithers, BC; Terrace, BC
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch13Oliver-Osoyoos, BC
Pine Grosbeak456Eagle River, ON
Eurasian Bullfinch1Watson Lake, YT
House Finch1481Edmonton, AB
Purple Finch173Grand Manan Island, NB
Cassin's Finch10Lardeau, BC
Red Crossbill259Kimberley, BC
White-winged Crossbill805Banff-Canmore, AB
Redpoll917Cape Tormentine, NB
Pine Siskin942Creston Valley, BC
American Goldfinch2183Kingston, NS
Evening Grosbeak1064Kingston, NS
House Sparrow6260Edmonton, AB