Check out this chukar — a rare game bird — spotted in Calgary

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'Well this is an interesting and odd bird,' says avian expert

CBC News · Posted: Jul 11, 2019 1:43 PM MT | Last Updated: July 11

An unusual bird photographed by a southwest Calgary resident this week is a rare chukar, according to an avian expert.

"Well this is an interesting and odd bird," Birds of Alberta author Chris Fisher said in an email, after reviewing the images.

Chukars are a type of partridge. They have stripes on their sides and a black band of feathers that runs over their faces and around their eyes, giving them a distinct look in a city known for its magpies.

Native to Eurasia, chukars have been introduced to North America and have succeeded in setting up sustainable populations in the western United States and some parts of British Columbia, according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

It's uncommon to see them in Calgary, although this is not the first time one has been spotted here. Another was photographed in the city in 2016.

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Cause of mass bird deaths revealed

09/03/2019

Some 56 Mallards and a Canada Goose died in a park in Calgary, Canada, due to starvation and exposure. Alberta Environment and Parks confirmed the reason behind the grim scenes, which were discovered during the last week of February in Elliston Park. A few carcasses were discovered initially by Heather and Wayne Clarke, with more and more dead birds being found in the following days. This sparked an investigation with the outcome ruling that limited foraging opportunities drove the mass deaths.

Alberta Environment and Parks and the Canadian Wildlife Health Co-operative at the University of Calgary investigated the incident at the stormwater pond, and in a statement said: "[We] have determined that the ducks suffered from starvation and exposure, which was the likely cause that led to the mortality of 56 Mallards and one Canada Goose. Some additional tests are underway to rule out other causes of death."

Due to extremely cold temperatures, birds that spend the winter as far north as Calgary can face a particularly tough time – particularly wildfowl, which depend on open water. It's thought that particularly harsh conditions sparked the sudden death of such a large number of birds.

When Mr and Mrs Clarke first came across the load of dead animals there were only a handful of bodies, but open further visits to the pond during the same week many more appeared. Wayne Clarke said: "We couldn't believe it … after a week, 50 birds, scattered around – unbelievable. I've been hiking around this lake here for 17 years and I've never seen it like this."

Brett Boukall, Senior Wildlife Biologist at Alberta Environment and Parks, added: "When we see this overcrowding, the birds might not be able to feed effectively, they might not be able to protect themselves from the elements. It's possible that if one of them is carrying a disease, it can spread more quickly when they’re in a tighter group in a smaller area."

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Hooded warbler mistakes Calgary for Cancun

Little lost bird spotted in Fish Creek Park thrills birdwatchers

By Danielle Nerman, CBC News Posted: Oct 22, 2015 9:49 AM MT

A tiny, bright yellow bird that's been hanging out in Fish Creek park over the last few weeks has become a bit of celebrity among Calgary birdwatchers.

It's because he's not supposed to be here.

"He was presumably in the process of trying to migrate from the eastern states down to Mexico and somehow got off course," said Andrew Hart, an avid birdwatcher and president of Nature Calgary.

Hart spotted the hooded warbler, which is only about 13 centimetres long, flitting in and out of trees and bushes in the park at Lafarge Meadows.

"I was thrilled to actually see it," he said. "It's actually has been easier to see over the last couple of weeks as the leaves have been falling off the trees."

Dan Arndt, with Nature Calgary's bird study advisory group, took this photo on Oct. 4. He was one of the first birdwatchers to spot the hooded warbler in LaFarge Meadows. (Dan Arndt)

Hart says a storm may have blown the bird off course to Calgary, but can't say for certain.

"It just seems to happen every now and then we get these odd birds in Calgary that have no business being here," he said. 

This isn't the first time a hooded warbler has visited the city.

Hart recalls one landing in the southeast community of Lynnwood 11 years ago, but doesn't think it survived the winter. He hopes this little guy takes off before the cold sets in.

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Songbirds return to Calgary for spring breeding

Canada is the 'nursery' for American songbirds, says Calgary bird expert

CBC News Posted: Mar 30, 2015 3:11 PM MT Last Updated: Mar 30, 2015 3:11 PM MT

If you haven't seen them, you've likely heard them.

"Canada is the nursery of the North American songbird," said Chris Fisher, the author of Birds of Alberta. 

After migrating to warmer, southern climates for the winter the harbinger of spring — the American robin — is among the first species to flock back to Calgary.

"Calgary and Alberta in particular are just great places to have little babies," adds the Calgary bird expert.

Fisher says songbirds return to the province for the summer because there is less food competition, fewer predators and wide open spaces. 

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$500,000 donation to help Inglewood Bird Sanctuary recover from flooding

CALGARY – The City of Calgary has received a helping hand as it works to restore a popular tourist destination hit hard by June flooding.

The Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, located on the west side of the Bow River, was badly damaged by rising floodwaters which carved new channels in the park, uprooted trees and destroyed bridges and boardwalks.

The federally designated migratory bird sanctuary attracts thousands of visitors each year, and encompasses a total of 36 hectares of land.

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