Birds of the Barkerville Hiking Trails

A wide variety of bird life inhabits or frequents the regions accessed by the Barkerville hiking trails, some coming for summer months, while others are year round residents.

There are seasons when the bird population is noticeable by its absence not in total, but in scarcity. This may be because birds are drawn to where feed is more plentiful, or because their habitat has been disturbed.

A bird that is always present, summer or winter in upper or timberline areas is the Canada Jay. His degree of curiosity when he hears hiker’s voices is exceeded only by his degree of curiosity when he considers the food that might be carried in their packs. Once he has located the hiker on the trail, he will remain in attendance as long as the hiker is in his territory. In their varying personalities of being bold or being shy, birds are interesting companions along the Barkerville trails.

BLUEBIRD ● the mountain bluebird who favors an elevation of 5000’ or more.

CHICKADEE ● the black capped chickadee. A clearly enunciated chick-a-dee-dee-dee.

FINCH ● yellow finch, often called “wild canary”. Red or rosy finch is seen above timberline

GROUSE ● blue grouse seen in flocks among timberline trees. Spruce or Franklin grouse are often called “fool hen”. Willow grouse is found in the same areas.

GROSBEAKS ● the “pine grosbeak” is near the size of a robin, large, tame, “winter” finch with a stubby bill and long tail. The male adult is dull rose red with dark wings with two white bars. The female is gray with two white wing bars. The “evening grosbeak” is about the size of a starling. The male is dull yellow with a dark head, yellow eyebrow and black and white wings. The female is silver gray with enough yellow, black, and white to be recognized.

HUMMINGBIRD ● rare at higher elevations, but can be seen around Barkerville.

JAY ● Canada Jay also referred to as “camp robber”, “whisky jack”, or “grey jay”

JUNCO ● slate colored, about the size of a chickadee and feeds on the ground.

NUTHATCH ● a tree creeper

ROBIN ● a most well known bird of the thrush family

STELLER'S JAY ● British Columbia's provincial bird

SISKIN ● pine siskin