Submitted by Kelsey Bowles,
Parks Canada
On December 16th, 2025, 31 volunteers and Parks Canada staff participated in the 53rd annual Christmas Bird Count in Tobermory, including in Bruce Peninsula National Park.
The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is organized nationally by Birds Canada in partnership with the National Audubon Society and runs from December 14th to January 5th every year. The CBC first began in 1900 and is now the longest running community science program in North America with over 2000 participating locations. The results from the count help provide data on bird population trends and species distribution.
The network of protected areas in Canada, which includes Bruce Peninsula National Park and Fathom Five Marine Park, plays an important role in helping to address impacts of climate change by protecting and restoring healthy, resilient ecosystems and contributing to the recovery of species at risk. Christmas Bird Counts help Parks Canada learn how climate change is affecting birds, helping make evidence informed decisions on conservation and restoration projects in the park.
Despite the fierce wind, volunteers collectively counted 36 species and 1301 individual birds at the Tobermory CBC. On average, around 1594 individual birds are typically spotted, but the persistent wind, ice cover on protected waters, and snowpack blocking some seasonal roads, likely explains lower than usual numbers.
Some other notable statistics from the Tobermory CBC that emerged include:
• The winter finch numbers were variable this year. While only 2 Pine Siskins and 21 Common Redpolls were seen, 93 Evening Grosbeaks, and 1 Pine Grosbeak were observed. While none of those numbers are particularly high compared to the average, they were much improved compared to last year!
• The Mourning Dove was absent for the second year in a row. Before 2024, the last time this happened was 1983;
• There was a high count for Long-Tailed Ducks with 62 observed (avg. 19)
• There was a low count for Herring Gull, with 86 seen (avg. 245);
• 2 Common Grackles were observed. Historically this species was infrequently seen but over the past 10 years they have been observed 50% of the time.
• There was a low count for Bufflehead with 4 observed (avg. 22);
• There was a high count for Rock Pigeon with 85 individuals observed, the previous record was 75 in 2021, and the average observed is 22;
Parks Canada would like to thank all the staff and volunteers that took part in this year’s count. Birders of all ages and skill levels joined in on the fun, ranging from 5 new participants to one legacy participant who has been taking part for over 25 years!
If you missed out on the CBC this year, there is still plenty of birding to be had. Winter is a great time for birdwatching – less foliage makes it easier to spot birds! You can upload your sightings to iNaturalist and/or eBird to contribute to community science efforts all year long.
And if you’re new to birding, why not join a guided Winter Bird Walk? On Saturdays at 11:30 a.m., join a Parks Canada guide at the Head of Trails for a 45-minute snowshoe or hiking adventure to discover winter birds in the park. You’ll learn to identify species using the Merlin app and field guides while enjoying the sounds and sights of the season.
Learn more about winter activities in Bruce Peninsula National Park at https://parks.canada.ca/pn-np/on/bruce/activ/hiver-activ-winter
