Algonquin Park Wild Bird Cam - Live Stream!

IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Friends of Algonquin Park's Wild Bird Cam Live Stream is only available during the winter months (December to March). This live stream is scheduled to go offline in just

Algonquin Park is home to excellent bird watching opportunities. During winter, many northern bird species migrate south offering a blend of northern and southern bird species that attract visitors from around the world. Viewing Algonquin Park's wild birds in person is always the best experience. But for those who can't visit today, The Friends of Algonquin Park is offering live streaming views of the feeders at the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre. Wildlife monitoring activities are expected to be in operation for the winter months, but warmer weather conditions may end operations sooner.

Algonquin Park Bird Feeder Broadcast

Thanks to Wild Birds Unlimited Toronto for providing bird feeders and seed for the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre. See their selection of birding related equipment such as feeders, seed, binoculars and more.

Watch the Live Stream!

Tune in to see what is active around the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre. During daylight hours the camera will alternate between popular views every minute.

Adjust the settings below to stream high definition (up to 1080p) video and view in full screen. No audio is available with this live stream. The Algonquin Park Wild Bird Cam is brought to you by The Friends of Algonquin Park.

Common Winter Species in Algonquin Park

Below are some common winter species observed at the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre. See what species have been observed this week in the Algonquin Park Birding Report. Ever wondered why birds are common in some winters and seem absent in others? The answer is food.

A male Evening Grosbeak (left) is a striking-looking, seed-eating specialist that uses its massive bill to crush cherry pits and other large seeds. This winter Algonquin Park is one of the best locations to observe this declining bird species in southern Ontario. This bird is a Species At Risk in Ontario and Canada. Males are more brightly coloured than females.

 

American Goldfinch eat the seeds of White Birch, Speckled Alder, White Cedar and various weeds. They come to feeders for sunflower and nyger seed. An American Goldfinch has 50% greater feather mass in winter than in summer to survive cold temperatures like those found in Algonquin Park. Read more >

 

 

Widespread across much of eastern North America, the Blue Jay calls Algonquin Park home in large numbers during winters of good natural food abundance. In Algonquin Park, Blue Jays depend upon seeds like acorns, beaked hazel, and beechnuts. Watch for courtship feeding in anticipation of the breeding season ahead. This winter Blue Jays are numerous in Algonquin Park because of the abundance of natural food.

 

Canada Jay, previously known as Gray Jay, are northern birds found year-round in Algonquin Park. Algonquin's Canada Jays wearing coloured leg bands are the world's best studied population of this species. Research has shown this bird is the earliest regularly nesting bird species in Algonquin Park. These jays cache (store) food to survive the winter and feed nestlings. Canada Jays are in decline as a result of warmer winters.

 

A common permanent resident of Algonquin Park. The Black-capped Chickadee eats seeds and insects to survive the winter months and often forages together with nuthatches and Brown Creepers. Chickadees have the ability to lower their body temperature at night to conserve energy. Read more.

 

 

Boreal Chickadee are northern relatives of the more common Black-capped Chickadee familiar to most people. Boreal Chickadees have a brown cap and chestnut coloured sides, unlike the Black-capped Chickadee. Boreal Chickadees prefer to live in Black Spruce forests like those in the valley below the Visitor Centre or at Spruce Bog Boardwalk Trail.

 

 

White-winged Crossbill get its name from the crossed bill used to extract seeds from conifer seeds, usually spruce, and from the white wing bars. Males are red in colour with black wings, while females are yellowish/green. White-winged Crossbills are only present in Algonquin Park when conifer seeds are abundant.

 

 

 

Red Crossbill numbers in Algonquin Park are linked to cone crop abundance, usually White Pine, Eastern Hemlock and White Spruce. Red Crossbills are similar to White-winged Crossbills but lack the white wing bars. Males are red and females are yellowish/orange. Crossbills can nest in any season as long as abundant seed crops are present to feed their young.

 

 

Dark-eyed Junco are at the northern edge of their range in Algonquin Park during winter and thus are irregular winter visitors to Algonquin Park. This species is typically present when good conifer seed crops exist. Dark-eyed Junco are most often seen on the ground, hopping between locations and then pecking or scratching searching for seeds.

 

 

The American Tree Sparrow with its rufous eyeline, bicoloured bill, and dark spot on the breast is an irregular visitor during winter. This species prefers to feed on weed seeds, which can be difficult in a forested environment like Algonquin Park. American Tree Sparrows feed upon fallen tree seed found on the surface of the snow to survive a harsh winter environment like Algonquin Park.

 

 

Hairy Woodpecker is a common permanent resident that searches for food on larger tree branches and trunks. This bird is larger than the Downy Woodpecker with both species pecking and scaling off bark to obtain insects. To determine if the woodpecker is a Hairy or Downy, measure the size of the bill compared to the width of the head. The bill of Hairy Woodpecker is about the same width as the head. Hairy Woodpecker also have outer tail feather that are completely white. Males will show a red patch on the back of the head, while females do not. Abandoned nesting cavities excavated by this species are important for the survival of other birds and mammals.

 

 

The Downy Woodpecker is small black and white woodpecker that is a common permanent resident in Algonquin Park. Watch for this species foraging on trunk and branches of trees. Downy Woodpeckers are smaller than Hairy Woodpeckers with the two species often being confused. The bill of the Downy Woodpecker is much smaller than the width of the head. Another distinguishing characteristic is the outer white tail feathers that have black flecks. Male will show a red patch on the back of the head, while females do not. Downy Woodpeckers will regularly join small feeding flocks of chickadees, nuthatches, Brown Creepers, and Golden-crowned Kinglets.

 

 

Pine Grosbeak is a large winter finch, about the same size as an Evening Grosbeak. Males (shown left) feature a striking bright red colour with dark wings and two white wing bars. Female birds are duller coloured showing a yellow-orange-olive colour with dark wings and two wing bars. The beak of the Pine Grosbeak is large, wide and used to consume seeds and buds.

 

 

During most winters, Purple Finch leave Algonquin Park, because of the lack of food. Adult male Purple Finches show a raspberry red colour while females and first year males show a brown plumage. Purple Finches have been observed in Algonquin Park this winter because of an abundance of conifer seeds, especially on Balsam Fir.

 

 

The Common Redpoll is a frequent winter visitor in Algonquin Park. Common Redpoll is much more numerous than the Hoary Redpoll and often travels in flocks, feeding upon birch seeds. Common Redpolls are occasional visitors to the bird feeders at the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre. Also watch for flocks of these birds that may be picking up grit on Highway 60 to aid in digestion.

 

 

The rare Hoary Redpoll shows a paler rump, less streaking on the sides, and a slightly smaller bill compared to the Common Redpoll. Hoary Redpolls in Algonquin Park are often mixed in Common Redpoll flocks making identification challenging. If you see a Hoary Redpoll please take a picture and contact us.

 

 

The Ruffed Grouse is a widespread chicken-like resident of Algonquin Park. This year-round species often feeds on buds of deciduous trees like birch and poplar during the winter months. During cold weather, Ruffed Grouse will plunge into soft snow and create a chamber were they spend the night.

 

 

The Wild Turkey is a recent arrival in Algonquin Park. First discovered in 2002 after successful reintroductions in other parts of the province, Wild Turkeys now spend summers and winters in Algonquin Park, with deep snow likely making for challenging foraging conditions for these more southern birds.

 

 

Red-breasted Nuthatch, a common resident of Algonquin Park, regularly creeps up and down tree trunks and branches in search of seeds and insects. Red-breasted Nuthatch numbers fluctuate depending upon the seed abundance of spruce, balsam fir, and white pine. Nuthatches are often associated with Black-capped Chickadee flocks in winter.

 

 

Northern Shrike is a predatory bird nicknamed "the butcher bird" for their ability to kill and consume small birds and mammals. Shrikes are often attracted to the activity at the Visitor Centre bird feeders in search of their next meal. The bird shown left is a young bird showing a brownish colour to its feathers.

 

 

 

Red Squirrel is a permanent resident of Algonquin Park and specializes in consuming seeds from conifer trees such as pine and spruce. The population of this mammal fluctuates based upon available natural food. Watch for Red Squirrels feeding upon black sunflower seed below the bird feeders at the Visitor Centre.

 

 

 

The American Marten is a member of the weasel family that preys upon small mammals including Red Squirrels. Martens are sometimes observed eating bird seed or suet at the Visitor Centre. Several American Martens have been observed at the Visitor Centre this winter.

 

 

Support Wildlife Education in Algonquin Park

The Friends of Algonquin Park have been supporting wildlife research and education since our inception in 1983. Please support our future wildlife education efforts by donating today. The Friends of Algonquin Park is a Canadian registered charity, providing tax-deductible giving as permitted by law.

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Birding Related Learning

• Weekly Birding Report
• Report a Bird Sighting
• Algonquin Park Christmas Bird Count Results
• Birds of Algonquin Park by Ron Tozer
• Birds of Algonquin Provincial Park by Dan Strickland
• Algonquin Birds in Winter by Ron Tozer (PDF)

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Related Information

• Live Views of Algonquin Park - Algonquin Park Webcam
• Winter in Algonquin Park
• Operating Hours and Dates
• Visit Algonquin Park
• Algonquin Park Visitor Centre
• Camping in Algonquin Park
• Weather
• Directions
• Special Events