Birds in Richmond Hill

Richmond Hill is proud to be a 'Bird Friendly City'! Our community has many unique natural features, including wetlands, kettle lakes and forests that make it a haven for wildlife. Thanks to our ongoing care and protection of our natural environment, more than 115 bird species call our community home.

Great Blue Heron soars to the top of 'Bird Friendly City' Bird Race

The votes are in and our community has chosen the Great Blue Heron to be Richmond Hill’s ‘Bird Friendly City’ bird! A total of 1,518 votes were cast with the Heron securing 456 or 30% of the vote. Here’s how the six-bird race played out:

Great Blue Heron (Zhashagi) - 456 votes

Birds play an essential role in maintaining healthy and resilient ecosystems in our communities, and the Great Blue Heron is a symbol of the natural heritage features that are found throughout Richmond Hill.

Standing almost one metre tall and with a wingspan of up to two metres, the Great Blue Heron is the largest Heron in North America. It has greyish-blue feathers on its body, a white head with a black stripe on each side, a yellow-orange dagger-sharp beak, and a long neck and legs.

Herons can be seen standing perfectly still or slowly wading into wetlands and ponds ready to snatch up a fish at places like Newberry Park, Richmond Green and Rumble Pond to name just a few. They breed locally in large congregations called ‘rookeries’, but fly south when the cold weather hits and water starts to freeze.

Fun Facts*

Despite their impressive size, Great Blue Herons weigh only five to six pounds thanks in part to their hollow bones—a feature all birds share.
With their massive wingspan, Great Blue Herons can fly up to 55 kilometres per hour.
Great Blue Herons can hunt day and night thanks to a high percentage of rod-type photoreceptors in their eyes that improve their night vision.
Specialized feathers on their chest grow continuously and fray into a powder, which helps protect their feathers from fish slime and other oils.

*Source: allaboutbirds.org

American Goldfinch (Aginjibagwesi) - 347 votes

The cheerful yellow and shiny black feathers of the male American Goldfinch are a welcome sight for many, indicating the approach of warmer months. This little bird is the strictest of vegetarians, only unintentionally eating insects. As such, they are a common sight at bird feeders, munching happily on sunflower and nyjer seeds. In more natural settings, they enjoy milkweed and thistle seeds, which they feed their young and use for nest building. You may see American Goldfinches all year round throughout Richmond Hill, but they molt to an olive-brown colour in the winter.

Red-winged Blackbird (Asiginaak) - 309 votes

In the spring, the territorial male Red-winged Blackbird can be seen in marshes displaying a striking pose atop cattails with its bright red and yellow shoulders. They can have up to 15 female mates, which resemble a large sparrow. The Red-winged Blackbird symbolizes inner strength and a mastery of arts and justice. You may see them during migration in your backyard feeding on seeds and mixed grains, and during the breeding season they can be found throughout Richmond Hill in both upland and wetland habitats.

Cedar Waxwing (Zegibanaanishiinh) - 229 votes

The Cedar Waxwing is a black-masked bird with a yellowish belly and reddish spots on its wings that give it its name. They are most common during summer, but you may encounter them at any time of the year, as flocks wander around in search of berries and fruit. Cedar Waxwings are unique in that they’re one of the only bird species in southern Ontario that eat mostly fruit and berries, and they travel across the land in search of trees with fruit to eat.

Bald Eagle (Migizi) - 139 votes

Majestic, bold and beautiful…the Bald Eagle represents knowledge and higher learning and plays a spiritual role in passing on oral and traditional stories of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation people. Just last year, the Bald Eagle was removed from the list of at-risk species in Ontario, showcasing a remarkable comeback from the brink of extinction. Look out for Bald Eagles in Richmond Hill during the spring and fall as they migrate further north to breed. An Eagle was just spotted at Lake Wilcox this past March- an exciting return for Richmond Hill residents!

Sandhill Crane (Ajijaak) - 38 votes

Tall, grey-bodied and crimson-capped, the Sandhill Crane can be found in open wetlands, grasslands and meadows across Canada. The crane signifies leadership and is one of the core totems of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation People. While you may not see a Sandhill Crane in flight, as they fly high in the sky, there is a good chance you will hear its pre-historic sounding call. Keep your ears attuned and your eyes open, as you may be able to observe the Sandhill Crane migrating through Richmond Hill in the spring and fall.

Each bird was selected with input from City staff, our Richmond Hill bird team, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation. Aside from being birds you might see around the city’s thriving green spaces (or your own backyard!), these nominees represent Richmond Hill’s rich culture, diversity, and unique characteristics.

Anishinaabe translation for each bird provided by Hiawatha First Nation.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

About birds

Birds play an essential role in healthy ecosystems and resilient communities. However, over the past 50 years, North American bird populations have declined by more than 25% or 3 billion birds.

This decline is largely caused by human activities, through predation from our domestic cats and collisions with windows and cars. Birds are also affected by climate change, as changing temperatures affect timing and availability of food, as well as migration patterns.

Richmond Hill wants to help reduce these threats and be part of the solution!

What is the City doing to support and protect birds?

Richmond Hill is taking the following actions to help reduce threats to bird populations and create more resilient ecosystems for birds and other wildlife to thrive.

children planting trees at a public event

Restoring and enhancing habitats through the long-term restoration program and Community Stewardship Program
Implementing Bird-Safe Design Standards and encouraging reduced light pollution in all new development through the Sustainability Metrics Program
Reducing the threat from domestic cats through the animal shelter services, and animal control by-laws
Planting and protecting pollinator habitat, including habitat for birds, through the Mayor’s Monarch Pledge, Bee City certification and various pollinator projects
Regulating the planting, maintenance and removal of trees on public and private property through the City’s Street Tree and Tree Preservation By-laws
Protecting, enhancing and increasing Richmond Hill’s urban forest canopy (and bird habitat) through the City’s Urban Forest Management Plan and updated Environment Strategy

Creating Bird-Safe Windows at Central Library

Hundreds of birds have been injured or killed in collisions with the reflective windows at Central Library. In order to reduce this threat, the City is undertaking a retrofit pilot project to install bird-safe window film in strategic locations, which will allow
birds to see the glass and avoid flying into it.

This pilot project will help to inform bird-safe design retrofits at other current and future City facilities.

Monitoring Bird Window Collisions - Ongoing until October 31, 2024

Monitoring bird window collisions before and after the retrofit will provide valuable information for future retrofit projects.
Library staff will conduct a sweep of the building exterior twice daily during the fall migratory season and keep a record of bird injuries and deaths.

How You Can Help

If you notice a dead or injured bird outside Central Library, please notify a library staff member and they will take care of it.

Bird-Safe Window Film Installation

Design and installation of the bird-safe window film at Central Library will take place in spring 2025, pending Capital budget approval.

What can you do to support and protect birds?

People bird watching in a park The community has a role to play in protecting birds and their habitat! You can help by:

Planting native trees and shrubs on your property. Learn more at RichmondHill.ca/HealthyYards
Keeping cats inside and learning strategies to keep both cats and birds safe in the community
Preventing birds from flying into your glass windows. There are many simple ways to mitigate bird-window collisions
Be a conscious consumer! When shopping for items such as coffee, chocolate and paper products, look for certifications like Smithsonian Bird Friendly, Rainforest Alliance or Forestry Stewardship Council that help protect bird habitats
Go birding, and learn about the environment around you. Richmond Hill has many parks that offer accessible trails for birding:

See the drop down below or check out RichmondHill.ca/Parks for more parks to enjoy.

Contribute to citizen science programming (below) or by reporting your bird observations to eBird and iNaturalist.

Birding in Richmond Hill

Birding is a fun, educational outdoor activity for people of all ages. The thrill of spotting a rare species or finally catching a glimpse of that hard to spot owl is a wonderful feeling. You may be able to find a few of the extraordinary birds listed below in their natural habitats the next time you visit a Richmond Hill park or trail, or maybe even in your own back yard.

When you spot one, take a photo and share it with us on Instagram @myRichmondHill or use the hashtag #myRichmondHill for the chance to be featured on our page.

American Redstart – Moraine Park

American Redstarts are small birds that are easy to spot as they hop through trees and branches at Moraine Park in search of insects. Males are black with bright, orange patches on their wings and tail. Females have grey heads with yellow patches on their sides, wings and tail.

Gray Catbird – Little Don Park

Gray Catbirds can be found hopping along small trees and shrubs at Little Don Park. They are medium-sized, light grey birds with a little bit of black on their head and tail. If you can’t spot one, listen for their distinctive cat-like mew.

Great Horned Owl – Twickenham Park

One of the most common owls in North America is the Great Horned Owl. This classic bird has big, bright yellow eyes and two feathered tufts that look like ears. Great Horned Owls are nocturnal, but, if you’re lucky enough, you may be able to spot one sitting on a branch at dusk at Twickenham Park.

Green Heron – Newberry Park

You can often find Green Herons standing still at the edge of the ponds at Newberry Park as they search for their next meal. They are shorter and stockier compared to other herons. From afar, Green Herons look dark brown, but in good light you will notice their deep green backs.

Hairy Woodpecker – Beaver Woodland Trail

Hairy Woodpeckers are black and white, with checkered wings and two white stripes on their head. Males have a dash of red on the back of their heads. As you walk through Beaver Woodland Trail, look for them foraging on large tree trunks and branches. You may even be able to hear the swift drumming sound they make on trees.

Orchard Oriole – Rouge River Headwaters Trails

If you look up at the trees around the river edges of the Rouge River Headwaters and Trails, you may find an Orchard Oriole. Adult males are mostly black with brown underparts, while females are greenish-yellow with white on their wings. You may notice their pouch-like nests hanging from trees during their short breeding season.

Residents are encouraged to admire wildlife from a safe distance and to not approach or touch them. It is also important not to feed birds and other wildlife as it can do more harm than good. Find out more on how to coexist with urban wildlife by visiting RichmondHill.ca/Wildlife.

Join Richmond Hill's Bird Team!

Image of a warbler Through Nature Canada, recruitment is underway for the City of Richmond Hill Bird Team. The team’s mission is to protect birds by:

Creating safer urban environments
Mitigating key threats
Protecting and restoring natural habitats
Increasing climate resiliency
Conducting community outreach and education

The Bird Team may consist of naturalist groups, birding clubs, environmental organizations, municipal staff, businesses, educational institutions, researchers and citizens. No skill level or birding experience is required to participate. Recruitment is open to all Richmond Hill residents.

Interested? View the City of Richmond Hill's Bird Team Training Manual, check out Nature Canada's Terms of Reference, and email greeningthehill@richmondhill.ca to begin the process.